Flow Disruption

Shape shifter

2012-02-20T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys! How are you? This is an old outfit that was posted on a temporary page. I have a couple more I'm excited to photograph soon. :) These past couple weeks have definitely been a lot of fun, as I've been able to explore the city a little more (woop woop).

A shirt and skirt I made over sweater from Forever 21.

And ... I have a new favourite song! It's one of those rare ones I can listen to again and again and again and again. I don't know, it's just really beautiful and free sounding. It reminds me of when the world has felt so much bigger and more untame than it usually does - like when I was able to ride a local bus through Tanzania for 3 hours and watch the scenery passin' by or when I sat alone on a beach in Haiti and saw what looked like 100 trillion stars.

I swear, the systems of the world can feel like a big reality show, like in The Truman Show, when Truman says, "I want to be an explorer" and the teacher replies, "Oh, you're too late! There's nothing left to explore!" And maybe that's just it - there's nothin' new under the sun, but I rather walk for miles through African terrain and feel the heat and sweat and get sand in my shoes than look at pretty photos on Tumblr, ya know?

Yeah, my posts seem to have a reccurent theme as of late. I think I'm just restless and wanna explore more than I have. ;)

Link

Identity ...

2012-02-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

... is the crisis, can't you see?

Link 1 and Link 2

In the eyes of "Corporate America", I'm just another 20-something in love with fashion. I spend my money on clothes and then post photos of those clothes on the Internet.

In reality, though, I often feel a sense of humanity gets lost in materialism and technology (the very humanity that makes style so interesting). I could spend my entire day surfin' through aisle after aisle of magazines and page after page of Tumblr, but after a while, it all begins to look the same. At some point, it becomes clear that images can only ever serve as symbols of an actual experience or individual. I can no longer think of a beautiful dress as part of my identity, but rather the symbol of a fantasy, where I'm off in a field somewhere, dancin' in the sun.

As an 8 year old, I wanted to dress like Britney Spears in her Crazy video, not because I desperately wanted a metallic green tube top, but because I wanted to attend a cool, underground club and actually feel the experience. Granted, it would've been a glamourized version of that club, where the lights are bright and there aren't any sleazy guys creepin' in the corner.

Similarly, society chooses people to serve as symbols for its fantasies. We depend upon the Britneys and GaGas of the world to embody our dreams of fame and fortune and then wear them like a beautiful dress, rippin' them to shreds as soon as they show signs of bein' human.

I've always admired people like Poly Styrene and Kathleen Hanna, because they created their own images and stood for what they believed, no matter what was thrown their way. They will live on as icons, representing strong willed women in the music industry, but didn't accomplish that goal by playin' the game anyone else's way.

Link 1 and Link 2

I wrote a song last spring called Framed, which explores these ideas as well. Thank you Sister Psyche for reblogging my Re Fuse post! If you haven't checked out her blog, you definitely should. Her style is amazing!

The answer, my friend ...

2012-01-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

... is blowin' in the wind.

A shirt from Nordstrom (10 bucks) and skirt from Forever 21 over skirt from The Trading Post.

Well, I'm back home for the weekend - hence the *totally not taken in the city* photos. ;) I'm home to work on paper patterns for a dress I designed for my friend. The best part, of course, has been seein' my kitty again.

Meow. :)

Re Fuse

2012-01-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

I hardly ever get angry, but sometimes I get passionate. So, here it goes ...

Something I've always struggled with is the whole "girl hating girl" mentality. I used to wish I were a boy simply to avoid all the "girl drama" in grade school, but now that I'm attending a college in the city, I feel like I'm in high school again. It's easy to avoid bein' part of the drama, but bein' around it and constantly hearin' it is enough to drive someone crazy.

It really annoys me that our society encourages this attitude, convincing girls they're always bein' judged and therefore, can never let their guards down. I despise how girls are made to feel they need to compete with each other and feel envious over trivial things, as though we're all part of a giant reality show, fightin' over one guy's affection (aka, lust) or title of "coolest", "prettiest" or whatever.

It's like we live in a state of constant fear, never makin' eye contact or discussing real things (aka, not gossip). I feel this issue is so deeply woven into the collective conscience, but rarely addressed. And seriously, every girl is awesome and beautiful, so it's that much more frustrating that so many of us are so fearful and insecure. No one should ever feel ashamed for acting, looking or thinking a certain way.

In other words, diversity is fuckin' beautiful. And to everyone who doesn't buy into the mass produced image of femininity - you rock in ways I can't even describe! Here's my promise as one who doesn't buy into it ...

- I refuse to ever gossip about another girl.

- I refuse to ever make fun of another girl.

- I refuse to ever judge another girl's character without knowing her.

- I refuse to ever believe that I, or another girl, doesn't act or look the way they "should".

- I refuse to ever feel superior or inferior to another person, male or female.

- I refuse to ever acquire my beliefs from the media.

Signed: Brittney ;)

PS - This isn't about school. I love it so far and have met some truly awesome people. :) On a totally different note ...

I love you guys! I'm gonna post city and outfit photos in my next post. :)

Blogger stew

2012-01-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys! Thank you for your awesome comments on the last post! I've been super busy this month, movin' into an apartment in NY and startin' classes, but my roommate is awesome and classes have been great, so ... only super busy in a good way. :)

I finally began messin' around with 8 Tracks, so here's my first humble attempt. It's basically a mix of songs I've been obsessed with over the last year.

Midnight Drive

01) Bikini Kill - Tony Randall

02) Pink Floyd - Pigs (Three Different Ones)

03) Johnny Cash - Bull Rider

04) Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out

05) Afro Celt Sound System - Anatomic

06) Foo Fighters - Rope

07) Julie Ruin - Crochet

08) Pinhead Gunpowder - On The Ave.

09) Metallica - Low Man's Lyric

10) Peter, Paul And Mary - Where Have All The Flowers Gone?

Feel free to recommend anything!

I was tagged way back when (before I understood tagging) to fill out the "New Year's Survey" (okay, it's been a year), so here it finally goes ...

3 New Year's resolutions

- To blog more!

- To do well in school ... kinda boring, I know

- To learn an instrument well enough to play my own songs

3 random facts about yourself

- I'm currently studyin' "Media, Culture and the Arts" and would like to work with film (specifically, music videos).
- I'd still like to work in the fashion industry, but am increasingly fascinated with the intellectual and symbolic aspects of art (which, of course, are used in fashion, but not as much on a mass produced level).
- Basically, I don't totally know what I'll end up doin', but am okay with that. ;)

3 style obsessions
- Caftans
- Maasai jewelry
- Plaid

I'm taggin' people I didn't tag the first time around ...

A Kis for Kate

Lovers, Saints & Sailors

Maison de Milla

Moustaches and Other Things

Steamed Snow Peas

Tights and Stripes

Young and Seamless

Fill this out if you like and then tag 12 people. :) Out of all the things I inevitably left home when comin' to NY, my camera had to be one of 'em, so new outfit shots will be posted when available!

Wave disruption / Even more personal post?

2012-01-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

It's 2012, guys! I know I'm a little late, but ... time to dance like B Spears till the world ends! Unless it doesn't end, which will have been a lot of dancing for nothin' ...

I came across the trailer for The Wave the other day, which is based off a book of the same name, which is based off real events. I read the book in high school and after watching the trailer, felt inspired to write a post I've wanted to for a while.

I got the name "Flow Disruption" from a lyric in the song Fake French by Le Tigre. My interpretation of the phrase was "going against the flow" and whatever that could mean, specifically, to others. But the main reason I chose it was because, along with creativity, the thing I'm most passionate about is critical thinking. Growing up, I wore crazy outfits to school everyday to *express myself* and was often dubbed the "weird girl" or "girl with weird clothes", but what all that negative (and some positive) attention built up in me is a burning passion for critical thinking and individuality. At times, I long to receive positive attention and feel like I'm part of something greater than myself, but have gotten to a point where I know I will never sacrifice my integrity to attain such things. And I believe The Wave is a perfect example of what can happen when we do.

Part of why I love style blogs so much is because there's a community of sorts, but one in which each blog is creative and unique and truly represents an individual. We're all different, but inspire one another. :)

Here's my 3 favourite outfits I posted last year. My style has gone through many phases over time (tomboy, goth, Marie Antoinette on a budget) and lately, it's been a bohemian/tribal hybrid, but I hope it evolves even more this year. I have a lot of things in mind for this blog, so thank you for reading it!

Cheers!

Meet me in the wilderness

2011-12-28T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys. :) How were your holidays? I spent the last week hangin' out with family, which as a whole is rare (we live all over the place) and gettin' ready for school, which starts in less than 2 weeks. As gifts, I received the 2 things I asked for, which I'm ecstatic about and insanely grateful for!

A real Maasai necklace! It's quite possibly the coolest thing I now own. ;) The shirt is from junior high (don't remember which store) and the skirt is my mom's tablecloth. You may have noticed I don't strike a whole lotta unique poses, but it seems the "lookin' slightly to the left at the ground" pose just works.

Necklace with Foo Fighters' album (the other request). I'm still a total sucker for buyin' albums and playin' 'em through for months. They recorded the album in Dave Grohl's garage and recorded the video for Rope on a VHS tape. The '90s live on! Who's with me?

I never thought I'd say this, but ...

2011-12-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

I'm a blondie. I was goin' for "honey brown", but it came out blonde, so blonde it is. ;) I wanna dye the tips either blue or green.

A dress from French Connection (folded over and worn as skirt) over dress from Tanzania.

Link

An echo of Etro / Maasai love

2011-12-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

My grandma's scarf over thrifted shirt (dress?) over dress from Forever 21.

All by Etro.

So, my holiday wishlist includes one thing this year: Maasai jewelry. My biggest obsession growing up was the book Children Just Like Me by Anabel and Barnabas Kindersley, which describes the lives of children around the world. I carried it everywhere and dissected every page until the entire thing fell apart. So, as a 5 year old, I fell in love with the way Maasai women dress and am still in love today. When I visited Tanzania in 2009, I was able to meet some Maasai families, which felt like a full circle moment. They're one of my biggest beauty and style inspirations ...

Link

Incense and Isis

2011-12-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

Hello, again. :)

Can you believe the year's almost over? Holy crap. Fortunately, November has been gorgeous. It was overcast today, but super warm, so it kinda gave the photos an "end of autumn, let's light some incense and start a bonfire" vibe, if ya know what I mean ...

A dress from Nordstrom over thrifted dress.

My mom's necklace (blue), necklace from a boutique in Rockport and thrifted beads.

Don't these notebooks look kinda cool with the dress?

I don't always understand why popular artists are popular, but I really love Florence Welch. Her voice is beautiful and her image never feels forced. She's also really funny when interviewed, which is awesome. ;)

I grew up on folk and rock, but I love pop as well. :) Why is it such a taboo? Everyone's tastes are valid, so it's pointless to put others down for liking what they like. I think most would agree, but it constantly amazes me how many dumb and hateful comments are left on YouTube regarding different tastes in music. Can't people just enjoy what they enjoy because they enjoy it?

*Cue the black light and Britney Spears music* ... er ... *cue the incense* ...

PS - I've been just a little slow on getting back and leaving comments, but am pickin' up the pace again. You guys seriously rock my world. :)

When pigs fly over the city

2011-11-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm up at my brother's house (again) enjoyin' the holdiay. :) How about you guys?

A little jacket from Bob's, shirt from a friend and thrifted pants (3 bucks). ;)

I just received my Butch zine in the mail from Roma, which I'm now in the process of reading. :) I thought I'd post some artwork I love from some books I own as well. The artist's name is Nick Bantock. I love his use of colour and how he combines "pretty" and "ugly" images.

And the song I've been listenin' to since summer began (yeah, I get obsessed). Any other Floyd fans?

"Were you looking at the woman in the red dress?"

2011-11-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys. :) Thanks for all your sweet comments on the last 2 posts. I hadn't planned for the "serious post" to linger 10 days, but oh well. Movin' on ...

A sweater from Forever 21 and dress I made. And the hair I wish I had for it ...

Which leads me to a confession ...

I've never dyed my hair. :/ I'm thinkin' of doin' it, though. I have a few ideas, but absolutely no experience, so I'll wait till it's done to explain any further. Then, when it turns out totally different than planned, I can pretend it was totally meant to be. ;)

My mom's necklace and bracelet from a friend. The title is from The Matrix and you can see a full view of the red dress here. How are you guys?

"Some things can't be photographed"

2011-11-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

And just like that, all the snow is gone. We got power back Sunday and it's been around 65 degrees since. 35% of my town is still without power, though. :/ Apparently, CT was hit worst in the nation and my town was hit worst in CT. I can't complain, though, because I know horrible things happen everyday and this is nothing.

The past couple years have been exciting and weird for me. I spent 2009 travelling to Africa (Egypt, Tanzania), Europe (Belgium, England, France, Germany, Netherlands) and Haiti, where I was exposed to vastly different cultures and living conditions. I visited Haiti a year before the massive earthquake, which my brother and friends were there for. They were alright, but what they experienced is indescribable. I remember hiking a mountain there (where we opened a clinic) and being offered a ride up. I turned it down, thinking, when am I gonna get another chance to hike a mountain in Haiti? Now, that mountain has crumbled and I have no idea what happened to the people living on it. The orphanage we helped crumbled as well and where we slept was destroyed by a tsunami.

I've become thankful on a level I never understood before, though. I'm alright knowing all I own is temporary and life can change at any moment. But, yeah, I'm still obsessed with clothing and weirdness. ;)

The title of this post is from my favourite Bikini Kill song, Tony Randall. I haven't done a recap in a while, so here's a new one . For some reason, I think my outfits look better as a collective.

A different kind of Halloween

2011-10-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

My day was ... adventurous. The town I live in was beaten up by the storm that came through Saturday. Every street is covered with trees and wires, with trees in houses and no electricity or stores open. We just drove up to my brother's home in the state over, which felt like driving through a video game, dodging trees and wires, inches above and next to the car. All gas stations on the 90 minute drive were either out of gas or had a 45 minute wait. All stores were cleared of good food and water. So, basically, craziness! And no dressing up and eating candy and all that good Halloween stuff. :/ But, it was fun in that, "let's hop in the car and leave town" kinda way.

Here's a couple photos we took Friday, before the storm hit ...

I thrifted this sweater for 5 bucks. :) Here's photos from after the storm ...

Fortunately, our house didn't get hit by a tree, but 2 were inches from hitting it.

This is our street.

And this is the main street by ours after a tree was cleared off the ground. I wish I had more photos of other streets to show you, but it's hard to take photos in a moving car. ;)

I do have a photo from a few Halloweens ago, when I dressed up as the one thing I'm truly afraid of. Not a ghost or witch, but ...

Update: We've been told we won't have power for at least 2 weeks, so I guess we'll be stayin' at my brother's home for longer than planned.

Indian summer haze / Collages

2011-10-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

This coat is a little big for me, but it's the first one I ever made, so ya know ...

A coat I made, dress from Forever 21 and tights from Gap.

A thrifted sweater, shirt from a friend and blanket from my work room.

For some reason, I've been obsessed with images of brains and teeth lately, so I made a couple collages, hoping it'll force me to become obsessed with something else. I wrote lyrics on 'em, too, just 'cause, ya know, it looks neat. The title of the song is "Inside Out" and the lyrics are ...

I have got nothing to hide

I am someone who has fought for the truth

I am someone who has lied

They can be seen here and here. ;)

Cozy layers, pumpkin slayers

2011-10-21T18:20:00.000-07:00

Halloween is comin' up, baby!

A dress and headband from Uganda over pants I made.

Of course, I'm a mature young woman and don't care for such things as Halloween. There's just no way I would fantasize about what to dress up as or what voice to adopt so I can mess with people. There's absolutely no way I would contemplate what candy to buy or where to take my daily walk so I can stop and sniff all the pumpkin guts strewn across town. I wouldn't dare, for I'm much too much of a mature young woman.

;)

Foo for thought (and a pinch of guacamole)

2011-10-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

This video made my day. :)

Hey, guys. What's up? I've just been chillin' in the autumn breeze, lovin' nature and what not. I bought this guacamole coloured dress a couple months ago and really liked it, but didn't think it would go with anything. Now, here I am, wearing it every other day. It seems you can never really know what will work perfectly with a wardrobe and what won't. Unless maybe you can and only I can't ...

A dress from The Trading Post over Betsey Johnson lace sweater (gift) over skirt (worn as dress) from a boutique in Rockport and tights from Gap.

I really enjoy lookin' at photos people post of things like journals, trinkets, etc., so I thought I'd join the conversation with some photos of my notebook.

I won't start school until January, but it's nice to keep a notebook for lyrics, random thoughts, etc.

Most personal post yet?

2011-10-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

So ... I may not be old, relatively speaking, but when I saw some old photos Teddi posted on her blog, I was inspired to look through my old photos, some of which I had never seen. I may have no desire to ever be a model, either, but I seem to have enjoyed strikin' poses as a kid. Like that "partial curtsy" pose I do in, like, every photo ... yeah, it's nothin' new.

No, it wasn't Halloween. Just my 12 year old mind turned inside out. ;)

I guess those will help dissolve any supposed mystique I've been told I have. Is there anything you guys feel people perceive you as that you don't necessarily see yourselves as?

A shirt I made and dress from French Connection.

Dressing like a barn ...

2011-10-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

is my new thing. Some may think this sounds odd, but to the hay covered stalls in my mind, it sounds like pure bliss. :) Happy October! I've definitely been enjoyin' the autumn weather, in all its crisp, overcast glory. We were able to take some photos when the sun came out, though.

A thrifted shirt, dress from Forever 21 and skirt from The Trading Post.

From when I had the dress tucked into the skirt and a green belt on.

First smiling pic since August! I wish I had a pop of colour for the bottom, but alas, my shoe collection is very small. :/ How have you guys been?

The innards of an orange

2011-09-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Like James and the Giant Peach, but Britt and the Giant Orange ...

It's somewhere between National Geographic and my mom's old collection of Victoria magazines I would dissect as a kid.

I used to have super dark (almost black) wallpaper and trippy tapestries hangin' in the middle of the room, so as to create 3 small rooms within the room. One day, though, I woke up and decided I was sick of living in a room I designed 6 years ago, so I tore down the wallpaper, repainted and started over.

The fun part will be actually living in it and letting it get more and more crowded with stuff over time. It's a little bare right now, but I can already think of specific posters and records to hang on the walls. ;)

An outfit to go with it ...

And an outfit I wish I had to go with it ...

Jen Kao - Spring 2012 RTW

My inner Bohemian leopard

2011-09-18T14:54:00.000-07:00

... who enjoys looking at her toes.

A sweater from Forever 21, dress from The Trading Post and skirt (worn as dress) from The Trading Post.

Same sweater from Forever 21, my grandma's scarf (which is on my head in the prior photo), skirt I made and same skirt from The Trading Post.

All jewelry was gifted. In a parallel universe, where I have perfect vision, I'm wearing these shades with both outfits as well. ;)

And ... I stopped by an antique shop yesterday and bought a mirror for my room, which was the missing link in the redecorating process, so photos of my room will definitely be posted in the next post. :)

Moonlit dance / Miss Winslet

2011-09-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Moonlit Dance

The night has lifted her skirt

And I have turned on

To dance without a shadow

Is to hold the dawn

So, light some strong Egyptian musk

And run with me into the dusk

Why should I be afraid

Of something inevitable?

I will not live in fear

Of all the taboo in my soul

The bride has thrown her bouquet

With no one around

Only my eyes will have seen

It fall to the ground

So, light some strong Egyptian musk

And run with me into the dusk

Why should I be afraid

Of something inevitable?

I will not live in fear

Of all the taboo in your soul

I have learned to just be still

And reap what I have sown

I will not rebuke the dark

Or run from the unknown

So, play that Creedence, play that Floyd

And run with me into the void

Why should I be afraid

Of something inevitable?

I will not live in fear

Of all the taboo in my soul

Why should I be afraid

Of something inevitable?

I long to be as pure

Pure as a wild animal

Hello, again. :)

I just added a link to the side bar called "September", which leads to a page, where each month, I will add an album, book and clothing item I've been inspired by. I'm hoping to hear what has inspired you as well and any recommendations you might have. :)

I've also spent 2 weeks now making over my room, which desperately needed to be done. I'm finishing up the details and will post photos later this week. For now, though, I'm embarking on a 2 night Kate Winslet marathon, watching all my favourites ...

Heavenly Creatures

Titanic

Hideous Kinky

The Life of David Gale

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Revolutionary Road

Who's your favourite actor/actress?

2 new songs

2011-08-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

Hey, guys! What's up? Hurricane Irene was, well, not what we expected, but powerful nonetheless. After 4 days of candlelit card games and sponge baths, we have electricity again. Woop woop. Losing power every now and again is definitely a good thing, though. ;)

Here are 2 songs I started writing in late July. Their themes are somewhat similar and less poetic than what I've written in the past. I imagine them as folk songs with rock n' roll choruses.

Walk With Me

I don't wanna hear what you think I wanna hear

I don't wanna see who you think I wanna see

I don't wanna hear another riddle of fear

I just wanna know what makes you real

Will you untie that ancient noose

And then untie any excuse

And talk to me?

Talk to me

(repeat)

I'm not here to just be entertained

I've seen it all before

I'm not here to have my circuits drained

I'm here for something more

Take my breath away

(guitar solo)

I just wanna know what makes you real

Will you untie that ancient noose

And then untie those heavy shoes

And walk with me?

Walk with me

(repeat)

Up And Away

I know whenever I'm with you

There is no pretense

No reading in between the lines

No severed secrets

I know with you, there is no show

There is no defense

Just moments that will speak the truth

In any sequence

Take me away

Up and away to reality

Take me away

Up and away to reality

I know whenever we meet up

There is no tension

No tripping over ego trips

No apprehension

I know with us, there is no past

There is no dead skin

Just moments that exist within

Their own dimension

Take me away

Up and away to reality

Take me away

Up and away to reality

Away like a flame

Without any shame

You mean what you mean when you mean it

A light that evolves

Till darkness dissolves

You've seen what I've seen when you've seen it

A dress from Uganda. :)

McQueen in Mars?

2011-08-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a mini line I drew after visiting the McQueen exhibit back in June. It's more alienesque than anything I've designed before.

I have a lot of stuff I'm workin' on at the moment, which will be posted soon. :)

Virtual soul

2011-08-16T00:22:00.000-07:00

or The Ballad of a Paranoid Robot ...

A dress from Blue Moon worn backward over dress from a boutique in SoHo worn backward.

A thrifted sweater, shirt from a friend and dress from French Connection.

Thank you Roma for your wonderful interview! If you haven't checked out her blog, I recommend you do. She's a free spirit and she's marvelous. :) A full photo of the second outfit can be viewed here. Yes, I titled the file "MMM Bop". Such is life.

I had a dream ...

2011-08-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I was engaged to a man with no face. I felt wonderful during the entire wedding ceremony, but immediately after saying "I do", looked at my faceless husband and thought, "what in the world did I just do?". Then, I had the dream again, but it continued as I stumbled into a room and saw, "not until you're 21" written all over the walls. So ... now that I've turned 21 (woop woop), I'm curious as to what it meant.

A dress from French Connection.

Another dress from French Connection (beautiful, inexpensive dresses on sale).

A Betsey Johnson sweater, corset from Charlotte Russe and skirt from Miss Selfridge.

Some photos from my trip to England ...

An "I was there" photo we took quickly, before passerbys could discover we were tourists, though I'm thinkin' the Starbucks cup probably gave us away.

A vast variety of vibes

2011-07-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

(I guess now would be the time to admit I love alliteration).

Here's a Flower Child meets Indian Curry Dish vibe ...

An open dress/vest from The Trading Post, dress from Forever 21 and belt I made.

A necklace I made when I was 6 and pins I made this afternoon. :)

And a Coco Chanel meets Julie Ruin, "first time I've worn pants on my blog" vibe ...

A shirt from Forever 21, my brother's old pants and patch I made.

I'm leavin' on a trip for 10 days, but already have my next outfit post in my mind. :)

Thrift shopping - part 3 / Colour happy

2011-07-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hey, guys. :) Here's a super colourful post.

A thrifted sweater (new), shirt from J Crew and skirt from a boutique in Rockport.

I swear these pieces were made for each other.

A shirt I made and same skirt from Rockport.

Bracelet from a friend.

I had hoped to finish my thrifting series by this post, but didn't wanna force an outfit if ya know what I mean. So, 2 pieces to go. I bought some fabric a little while back, which I plan on making a cropped jacket out of. I would like for the globe to be in the center of the back ...

I'll post photos as soon as it's finished. :) Here's a recap of my favourites since, well, my last recap.

Thrift shopping - part 2 / Tagging

2011-07-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

A couple more finds from last week's trip ...

A thrifted jacket (new), dress from BK & Co. and belt I made. This is one of my favourite looks, because it combines 2 of my dearest "ishes" - hippieish and rock n' rollish. It's also my first leather jacket. :)

A thrifted shirt (new) and skirt I made. I'm really into this brown/orange/red colour combo right now.

This leaves 3 pieces to post from last week's trip. All 9 pieces cost less than $100 together - sweet! And speaking of sweetness, I was tagged by the awesome, creative 20TH Century Girl for the "Lovely Blog Award". :) Here are my 7 facts ...

1. I just earned my associate's degree in fashion design/merchandising and would like to study something along the lines of psychology as well.

2. My biggest influences are music, nature and various cultures around the world.

3. I have very thick hair, which is why I don't wear it down for photos. It's a pain, but I'm thankful, I swear!

4. I'm an adrenaline junkie/daredevil, but randomly have anxiety attacks when talking. :/

5. I secretly have a guy's sense of humour, which I can probably credit to growing up with 3 older brothers.

6. The only food I can never eat is ketchup. The smell alone makes me feel sick.

7. I would like to help raise a baby cheetah one day. :)

Tagged ...

The chic that happened

Then she'll carelessly cut you

There were too many people I wanted to tag, so I'm gonna have to do another tagging activity soon. I know many of you have probably done this before, but I wanted to tag people I like and not think about that. If you do wanna fill this out, just post 7 facts about yourself and 15 tags. :)

Thrift shopping - part 1

2011-07-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

I think I've got it this time. How about "The Leaping Salmon" for a band name? It's just quirky enough and has a cool "swimming upstream, against the current" feel.

And on a totally different note, I went thrift shopping last week. It was the first time I had gone shopping anywhere in a while, so it was fun to pick out some new pieces.

A thrifted shirt (new) over shirt from Forever 21 over childhood night shirt over thrifted dress (old). I'm wishing now I had left out the bottom layer of black, but oh well.

A patch I made using a suede strip and fabric paint and "please stand by" pin I made a while back.

Forgive the freakishly similar poses today. I suppose it's my "too cool to curtsy all the way" pose.

A thrifted shirt (new) over shirt from Forever 21 over thrifted dress (new).

A thrifted purse (new) - 5 bucks. :)

So, that's 4 of the 9 pieces I bought. I'll post the others in my next posts. I'm also gonna do some tagging in my next post, because you guys rock my world and I wish I could actually hang out with you and get to know you in that old fashioned "face to face" kinda way.

Growing pains, lipstick stains

2011-06-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, how are you? This is my slightly premature Independence Day outfit. And the first time I've worn lipstick and heels on my blog. :)

A thrifted dress, swimsuit from the mall (can't recall which store), belt I made and Jessica Simpson shoes (aww yeah) ... "These heels were made for walkin' / That's just what they'll do" ... too much? Yeah, you're probably right.

A close up of the shoes and magnetic monkey necklace.

I also wore this outfit with a loose vest, which I thought looked especially cool from the back.

Framed

2011-06-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

This song is not necessarily (or entirely) about celebrities like the collage may imply, but they're definitely part of what inspired it. :)

Framed

I can see her childhood as though it were a portrait
(Bright green eyes behind a bright white picket fence)
I can hear her joyful cry as though it were a promise
(An honest soul trapped inside its ignorance)

Once a little girl lost inside a world, unkind
Now a first class prostitute paid to fuck your mind

   Who is she to me but a wandering reflection,
   Living inside thoughts I have suppressed?
   Who is she to us but a symbol of perception,
   Representing how we frame success?

I can see her hanging there as though she were a painting
(Bright green eyes behind a glare of empty black)
I can hear her final words as though they were an answer
(An honest soul trapped inside a star shaped plaque)

Once a little girl lost inside a world, unkind
Now a first class sacrifice made to blow your mind

   Who is she to me but a wandering reflection,
   Living inside thoughts I have suppressed?
   Who is she to us but a symbol of perception,
   Representing how we frame success?

~

I experimented with using double entendres this time, the main one being "framed", of course. :)

Brit Brit, Marilyn, Lindsay, Roger Waters - Amused To Death, Sharon

Barefoot in brain stew (a confessional)

2011-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

A sweater (green) and belt I made, sweater (yellow) from Urban Outfitters, skirt from a boutique in Provincetown and necklace from BK & Co.

A close up of the belt, necklace and leaf sticking out from the belt. ;)

Confession #1: I spend an embarrassing amount of time watching music videos. And lately, it's been a lot of 90's videos. I was born in '90 and greatly influenced by the decade's grungy aesthetic.

Confession #2: I love Green Day's early videos. They portrayed panic attacks as waking up in a cartoonish mental hospital, meth addiction as waiting in a dental office to have a tooth pulled and insomnia as hallucinating on a couch as it's pulled through a junkyard.

Do you guys have any favourite 90's videos?

I'm either crazy or too analytical.

2011-06-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Or maybe they're the same thing. I think my childhood love/hate relationship with stereotypes (wearing all black one day, all Abercrombie the next) has manifested itself through the way I think today. As much as I long to be understood, I enjoy being misunderstood. And as hard as I try to embrace something I like about myself, I constantly sway between extremes.

I'm equally perfectionistic and spontaneous, anxious and bold, intellectual and artistic, stubborn as hell about integrity and a dreamer of success, high maintenance and "let's roll around in the mud", ugly and beautiful, awkward and graceful, cynical and a child at heart.

I'd love to hear what you guys think about balancing extremes and how you relate/differ.

A dress from Tanzania worn as a turban, Betsey Johnson lace sweater (gift) worn backward, shirt from a boutique in Rockport and skirt I made.

The lighting isn't great, but here's a close up of the pin I made.

The Dhol Dogs

2011-06-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

... would be a good band name. What do you guys think? I got it from a song by Afro Celt Sound System. I've been listening to Anatomic nonstop this spring. :)

A vest I made and blanket worn over pants I made.

I also finally took another (revamped) photo of an outfit I posted in January, because the old one never looked right to me. So, here it is ...

A Betsey Johnson lace sweater (gift), dress from Forever 21 and skirt from a vendor in Zanzibar.

I even came up with a melody for this one.

2011-06-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

Wild Sky

An autumn breeze lingers here
As it slowly passes by
Colours fade and laughter stills
As we watch the fire die
Sing with me tonight

   It's only you and I
   Beneath the wild sky
   Only you and I
   You and I

   It's up to you and I
   To make it out alive
   Up to you and I
   You and I

A bittersweet melody
Wrestles with a sunlit soul
I can hear its final note
Crackle like a burning coal
Run with me tonight

   It's only you and I
   Beneath the wild sky
   Only you and I
   You and I

   It's up to you and I
   To make it out alive
   Up to you and I
   You and I

If only we could take each moment as it is and breathe it in
If only we could hold each breath until it fans the flame within

So, yeah, I've been tryin' to pick up songwriting again. Clearly, I'm still prone to writing about nature, but hopefully, that'll change a bit. Thank you guys for not "unfollowing" me. Now that I'm done with school, I'm officially back on Blogger and will be updating at least twice a week. Woop woop.

The static veil

2011-04-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

I've started writing songs again for the first time in over 2 years and am fantasizing, once again, about joining a band. I think I may just have to do it. :)

Since I've always written with a concept in mind, I've decided to write about something I've been researching for over 2 years: symbolism. I'm calling this concept "the static veil", which I heard recently in one of Max Igan's radio interviews.

I made these pins to go along with it: a head with Monsanto eyes, "please stand by" TV screen, red and blue pills from The Matrix, barcode and dollar sign/snake.

I wore the head pin to my final presentation for school. This is Christiane (my brother's wife) wearing a dress I made for her. She's a sweetheart and if you couldn't already tell, extremely beautiful.

The only other recent photo I could find was of the dress and necklace I bought at my internship site. They're worn here with a shirt from a boutique in SoHo, thrifted purse and jelly sandals.

Here's my ~~week's~~ month's recap. ;)

Does this eye make my chin look big?

2011-04-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

I've done some soul searching these past 2 months and have gotten in touch with my super fly alter ego (a la Sasha Fierce) Britt "Subconscious" Rankin. She may seem a little awkward at first, but she's just shy.

Just wait till you see her bust a move on the dance floor ...

"A cat lady with nomadic tendencies"

2011-02-14T20:38:00.000-08:00

... will read my description if I ever join a dating site.

Did you guys do anything exciting for Valentine's Day?

A sweater from Nordstrom, dress from Forever 21, pants from a boutique in North Hampton and purse from Whole Foods (made in Ghana).

Since I haven't found my soulmate yet, I'll just give a shout out to my little buddy, Shmoo.

I had always envisioned owning 3 or 4 cats when I'm older, but now I'm thinkin' I like travelling too much. I'll just adopt an orange kitten so I can name it Cheetoh. ;)

The Cheshire Cat circa 1970

2011-02-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

A thrifted crochet sweater, sweater from Kohls and dress from Forever 21.

Inspired by ...

And the blogging debut of ...

Neona the giraffe from Tanzania.

The necklace is from the boutique I'm interning at. They bought it from Not For Sale, a campaign fighting to end human trafficking.

Coffee and crochet

2011-02-05T07:18:00.000-08:00

I'm sipping an abnormally wonderful cup of coffee right now.

A dress from a boutique in North Hampton worn over a dress from Forever 21 worn over a skirt I made. :) The purple belt is from a whole other dress and the one on top is from the dress underneath.

This is from the other day - a thrifted coat over skirt and pants I made.

Flashback

2011-02-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

I was thumbing through my Photobucket archives earlier and found these 2 pictures. They make me wish it were a) summer and b) 2005 ...

These corduroys are my favourite thing I've ever owned! I wore them until they literally fell apart.

My "model" pose. ;) I'm counting this as my outfit for today, because I still like it. I know that's cheating, but then again, are there any rules?

A song I wrote that year ...

Supper Attire

I grew up in a rich, suburban town

Disney shows and dirty looks were standards in society

I grew up in a rich, suburban town

All aboard the shipwreck of internalized conformity

Sinking deeper now ...

All the boys and girls

Stripped of their intent

Are at the mercy of corruption now

All the boys and girls

Marked by their consent

Are lining up like mass production now

We grew up in a rich, abundant world

Only to be robbed of all its natural commodities

We grew up in a rich, abundant world

Only to be tagged and tracked like cattle in the factories

All the boys and girls

Stripped of their intent

Are at the mercy of corruption now

All the boys and girls

Marked by their consent

Are lining up like mass production now

I was raised on Pink Floyd and always wanted to write my own version of Another Brick In The Wall, chanting included. ;)

Update: I rewrote the second verse.

My real ode to Missoni

2011-02-01T23:06:00.000-08:00

I was inspired to draw more "acidic snowflakes" and decided to base them off Missoni looks.

Spring '11 RTW

The lighting doesn't quite do it justice, but I'm sure you get the idea.

Spring '09 RTW

The first look inspired me in another way as well ...

A headband and skirt I made, shirt from a music festival and plastic from Stop & Shop. ;)

As long as I don't lose power during this storm, I'll post 5 outfits again. Here's a recap of my favourites from the past few weeks of scarce posting ...

Hey, wanna take a road trip?

2011-01-26T01:38:00.000-08:00

We could buy a really cool hippie van and just go for it.

Look 1

Pic 1 and Pic 2

Song: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down a Dream

Look 2

Pic 1 and Pic 2

Song: Soul Asylum - Runaway Train

Look 3

Pic 1

Song: Fastball - The Way

Do you guys know any other good driving songs?

Take a deep breath ...

2011-01-23T23:35:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! How are you?

I've been off Blogger 2 weeks and feel like I've fallen off the face of the cyber world. ;) I need to spend tomorrow catching up on all your posts. Awesome things have happened in the "real" world, though. I began an internship at a boutique, participated in my first fashion show (more on this later) and was a bridesmaid for my oldest brother's wedding.

I've also been thinkin' a lot about my future. The weird thing about this is, I'm the kinda person who lets things happen as they happen. Mainly, I've been figuring out how to combine all the different things I'm passionate about: agriculture, animals, art, fashion, music, philosophy, underground journalism, various sciences, etc.

In other words, this blog is morphing into an "anything and everything blog" (mainly fashion, though). ;) All comments, ideas and opinions are welcome. Thanks, guys!

"A prison for your mind"

2011-01-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

A thrifted sweater over sweater from an old Alloy catalog and dress from Forever 21 over thrifted dress.

Pleasantville, Alexander McQueen - 2008 / MK Ultra, Rorschach test, Banksy, all in all you're just a ...

Implosion / Summer sentiment

2011-01-03T21:43:00.000-08:00

How I feel right now ...

Christopher Kane - 2010 RST

On a happier note, I can't wait for summer, which is only 169 days away!

Dior - 2010, oranges, Frida Kahlo, Arcade Fire - The Suburbs, suburban sunset

Burgundy bias / Molly: Gonea to Ghana

2011-01-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

Happy new year! I can't believe it's 2011 (aka, the year I turn 21). Woop woop. Here's a toast to an awesome 2011 and the colour burgundy. :)

A Betsey Johnson lace sweater (gift), dress from Forever 21 and skirt from a vendor in Zanzibar.

A pullover from The Trading Post and makeshift headband (necklace and bracelet tied together) from Africa (gift).

A sweater from Forever 21 (Christmas = gift cards), corset from BeBe and blanket that serves as a rug in my work room.

One of my closest friends, Molly, just got back from studying dance for a semester in Ghana. Here's a pair of pants she brought back for a friend ...

And an African inspired cardigan she was wearin' today ...

She also brought me some Ghanaian fabric, which hopefully, I'll be using in my next collection.

Update: I took another photo of the first outfit.

School + Holidays = Lock me up in a padded room

2010-12-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

Well, this has been the busiest week of my life. By far. But I think I can breathe now and make a new post. I have a lot of things in mind for new posts comin' up. :)

Photos (all with the same scarf) we managed to take between bouts of insanity ...

A sweater and dress from Nordstrom.

A thrifted crochet sweater, necklace from a boutique in Paris and bottlecaps on the gloves.

A thrifted dress, shirt from a boutique in Rockport and my cat, Shmoo. :)

Sketches

2010-12-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

If only the scanner were a little bit longer ... oh well. You can see most of it. ;)

These are my "acidic snowflakes". I've drawn hundreds over the years and think it would be cool to either transfer them onto fabric or make cut out versions and use them in a music video, like in Flyleaf - Chasm. I'm picturing hundreds falling all around like real snowflakes, only it's happening inside someone's mind during a dream or something ...

3 inspirations

2010-12-14T00:19:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna take a week off from posting outfits and post other things like inspirations, mood boards, my own artwork and so on. Here are 3 people/things I've been inspired by lately. Tell me what you think. :)

01. Maasai women

I love the way they dress - the bright colours and bold patterns. Whenever I find enough free time, I'm gonna make my own Maasai inspired jewelry.

Pic 1 and Pic 2

02. Nature

There's nothing fake about nature. One of my goals in life is to travel around the world and experience as many different expressions of nature as I can.

Pic 1 and Pic 2

03. Outer Space

Maybe it's all the galaxy inspired prints I've been seein' or just the raw mystique of our universe, but I've been fascinated with outer space lately.

Pic 1 and Pic 2

Outfit 15 / Weekly recap 3

2010-12-11T05:46:00.000-08:00

You can tell I'm tired in this photo ...

A thrifted shirt, stiletto tee shirt by artist Sandy Welch and skirt from The Trading Post.

You can see paintings by Sandy Welch at her website. Here's a couple ...

My week's recap ...

Outfit 14 / Song and collage

2010-12-09T21:33:00.000-08:00

My mother's sweater and dress from Forever 21 layered on top of skirt from H&M.

I've been writing songs since I was 9 and have written around 50 or so. I don't really know where to begin, so I'm just gonna throw one out there. I wrote this when I was 15 ...

September Walk

All the voices in my head
Fall beneath my walking feet
Moonlight in the autumn sky
Fills me with a melody

All my thoughts flow like water
Through an open passageway
Fallen leaves beneath my feet
Are corpses now where they lay

   Beautiful
   I've wandered now
   Into real wonder

All of who I used to be
Lost its grip on who I am
Chasing after sanity
Only hurt me in the end

As I walk along this path
Leading me to anywhere
All the voices in my head
Slowly, gently disappear

   Beautiful
   I've wandered now
   Into real wonder

The Lisbon sisters, rainbow at dusk, Pink Floyd - Animals, Pink Floyd - The Wall, Maasai girl

Outfit 13 / A dose of DayGlo

2010-12-08T19:50:00.000-08:00

A dress (black) from a boutique in SoHo and dress (orange) from Forever 21.

Video: X Ray Spex - The Day The World Turned DayGlo

Outfit 11 / Collages

2010-12-06T20:50:00.000-08:00

A dress from Tanzania.

My sexy flying squirrel pose.

I'm obsessed with rich colours and heavy saturation.

I'm also obsessed with makin' collages, which I've seen a lot of on different blogs, so here's a couple I put together recently ...

Kate Winslet, books in a bowl, Frida Kahlo inspired earrings, cruisin', Erykah Badu is pointin' at you

Monet - Water lilies, girl draped in teal, McQueen - 2009, Husker Du - Zen Arcade, Monet - Haystacks

Outfit 10 / Weekly recap 2

2010-12-03T17:23:00.000-08:00

I swear I'm not trying to look so serious, but this picture came out the best. :)

A sweater (green), pants and belt I made in school, sweater (floral) from Forever 21 and dress from a boutique in North Hampton.

Weekly recap ...

Outfit 9

2010-12-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Back to my whole view photos - the whole view ones we took yesterday and the day before just didn't do the colours justice, but today's came out better ...

A Betsey Johnson lace sweater (gift), corset from BeBe and skirt from Zanzibar.

I consider this look to be a sort of romantic version of Victorian goth.

Outfit 8 / I'm noticing a pattern ...

2010-12-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

I wear a lot of green and yellow, don't I? I had never really noticed this before. I'm also realizing that I haven't been very adventurous this week, which I had planned on being. I'll have to mix it up next week.

A blouse from Forever 21 and shirt from Bob's.

A skirt from a boutique in Rockport. I love when different fabrics are pieced together like this. It makes choosing the other half of the outfit even more fun.

A thrifted coat in perfect condition - 25 bucks, baby. ;)

In light of all this green and yellowness, I felt it was only appropriate to take a picture of these gords that have been lyin' around since autumn began ...

Outfit 7 / Music

2010-11-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

A tee shirt from a music festival and dress from Nordstrom.

Paired with matching flats.

I love fashion, but I love music just as much. ;) Fashion is inspired by music all the time, anyway.

Video: Flyleaf - Chasm

Video: X Ray Spex - I Am A Poseur

Outfit 6 / Mirabal sisters

2010-11-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

A thrifted crochet sweater, sweater from Urban Outfitters, skirt from a boutique in Provincetown, flats from a boutique in Rockport and purse from Haiti.

I love how you can see all the different colours and layers through the sweater.

And yeah, I still feel pretty cool when I stick safety pins everywhere. ;)

Close ups of the skirt, shoes, purse and shell necklace.

More inspirations ...

The Mirabal sisters (Patricia, Dede, Minerva and Teresa) lived in the Dominican Republic during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. They were beautiful and wealthy, but intelligent as well. They adamantly opposed Trujillo and were therefore imprisoned and raped numerous times. In 1960, 3 of them (Patricia, Minerva and Teresa) were taken by authorities into a sugar cane field and beaten to death. Trujillo was assassinated shortly after.

Minerva Mirabal (bottom right) was a lawyer, but was denied her practitioner's license after rejecting romantic advances from Trujillo.

In 1999, the UNGA declared November 25 (the anniversary of the sisters' deaths) as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Outfit 5 / Weekly recap 1

2010-11-26T17:50:00.000-08:00

A dress from Forever 21 with the belt tied around my neck and pants from a boutique in North Hampton.

A purse my step grandmother bought in Greece.

My week's recap (if a week consisted of 5 days) ...

Fixed it so it's not blurry. :)

Outfit 4

2010-11-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I felt it was a good time to break this one out because of its festive colours.

A shirt and skirt I made in school, pineapple purse from a flea market and flats from Talbots.

A close up of the purse and shoes.

Outfit 3 / My art

2010-11-24T21:24:00.000-08:00

Second Le Tigre reference thus far, which leads me to my drawing of Kathleen Hanna ...

I'll be posting a lot more of my artwork over the next few weeks. Here's my outfit from today ...

A salt n' pepper hoodie from an old Alloy catalog, thrifted dress from Cape Cod and tee shirt from a friend.

A close up of the tie wrapped around my head.

Outfit 2

2010-11-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

So ... I've changed the rules already. I'm gonna take pictures Monday - Friday and skip the weekends. Then I can like, ya know, laze around in my bathrobe or repeat an exact outfit ... things of that nature.

A dress from Blue Moon worn backward, knee highs from a friend and Steve Madden boots.

I was wearing a Betsey Johnson sweater earlier - long and black with cobwebby sleeves.

Day by day

2010-11-22T22:52:00.000-08:00

I once heard about a guy who drew a picture of himself and his day's activities everyday for an entire year. This inspired me to take a picture of myself in my day's outfit everyday and then post the pictures here (easier than drawing them, right?). I'm always "dressed up" anyway, so it's a good way to show what my style is like, especially as it grows over time. I don't think I'll be doing this for a year, but hey ...

A thrifted crochet sweater, corset from Charlotte Russe and blanket I had been using as a rug.

A Laurel Burch purse that originally had bulky, orange straps. I found a chunk of purple fabric in one of my bins today and changed up the straps before class.

Tanzanian children

2010-11-22T22:36:00.000-08:00

From Dar es Salaam and Morogoro ...

Inspirations

2010-11-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

I suppose I should start with people.

The first person dancing around in my mind is Kate Winslet. I remember wandering through my local video store every weekend as a kid and spending at least 5 minutes staring at the cover of Quills. I could not take my 10 year old eyes off her.

Then, of course, I finally saw Titanic and fell in love with those crimson curls. My favourite scene will always be when Jack invites Rose to the real party.

Looking beautiful with no make up on in Hideous Kinky ...

And endearingly eccentric in one of my all time favourites, Eternal Sunshine ...

Me ...

2010-11-22T21:24:00.000-08:00

I’m currently in school studying fashion design. I never really thought I’d have the patience to learn to sew, but after 30 weeks of classes, I can sew! Kind of. It takes me a while and I ask a lot of questions, but whatever.

I’ve always loved fashion, but only now am learning about the industry. As a kid, I understood "fashion" as personal style. When I was 8, I wanted to be a hippie, so I went everywhere in torn up bell bottoms, a thrifted vinyl jacket and my mother’s love beads from the 70’s. When I was 12, I became experimental. I went to school one day wearing my mother’s apron and a pair of knee pads, which sadly, no one else thought was brilliant. By the time I hit high school, I was obsessed with corsets and tutus and pearls. I then hit a creative block of sorts, but have since regained my creative energy. Learning how to sew has fanned that flame.

During the year I took off after high school, I went on 3 mission trips. The first was in Europe, the second in Haiti and the third in Tanzania and Zanzibar. I learned a lot about life and how small this world really is. I was also very much inspired by the different cultures and how they dress, from the Belgian punk rocker with neon red hair to the Maasai people who walked for days to come to our service in the suburb of Morogoro. At some point, I may post a paper I wrote about all the experiences I had on those trips. But, for now ...

Fits like a glove. I should really post pictures of myself in these.

I have since added buttons to the coat and belt.