I think you look pretty today

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

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Things on my TO DO LIST.

A little late...I know...

PRADA, GUYS!

Member this line from S/S 2008?

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AND THIS?
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So I finally had two hours to kill in Midland salvation army and GUESS WHAT???? I spent 100 dollars, and EVERYTHING WAS ONE DOLLAR. I'm learning how to sewing machine, and I will do cool stuff to stuff. And I plan on looking like that for until I am utterly VOMITING of bright colors.

I even got some victorian boots to match the proper shoe shapes.

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fuck ya,

Caitlin

Monday, December 15, 2008

Where are we without the top?

This post has potential to be improperly received.

Greed is something that we can do without--- False.

If we are honest with ourselves, greed and vanity have plenty of options. We don't have to go to hell or be in a constantly unpleasant state, we don't have to be perpetually grieving for what we don't have, and we don't have to live in materialistic decadence to be vain at all. You only have to be human, and in my experience, every single person feels these emotions and many look down upon them in themselves or in others at one time or another.

In this context I'd rather refer to these things as positive motivation for good people.

Sure, some are going to hell, but so is our society then. We can't all be bad, and although American culture has certainly been hitting some bad points in our consumptive society lately, we've still had some good ideas worth consideration in one's own personal morale.

Without goals where do we go? Are we even on a path or a loop? Can we be comfortable not holding a steering wheel when it has to do with the person we become? In some aspects to some people, perhaps. But I truly believe that appearing to be one persona to others doesn't always mean that we don't care if we are a bad person or not. We do care. Healthy people care, usually, deep down.

Wanting something terribly, wanting to look like something, wanting to own something, these feelings, although frustrating at times, can be beneficial if we utilize them properly. If we don't want what we maybe can't have, we will probably never come close enough to be satisfied with ourselves. On the other hand, it's a surefire way to speed up the process of getting what you want, having a GOAL.

I find that without greed, or without the feeling of loving what you've got and wanting more of it, we might be without a goal in some aspects of our lives. A lack of a goal may not necessarily ruin a person at all, but having one is certainly a big enough deal for me to talk about it. Greed and vanity go well together in the sense that we don't have a negative confidence involved with ourselves. In order to properly use greed as motivation without possibly venturing down a less-approved path, we must not be afraid to thoroughly enjoy the things we've already worked hard for, for ourselves. We can't forget about the efforts we've already made, we can't stop appreciating those. If we were to do this we might lack the abilities to properly gain all that we greed for. We may find ourselves wanting too badly to the point where we steal from our friends or cut others down in our way without a proper feeling of remorse.

And sure, we may long for a pair of leather Prada skinnies, and that is perfectly okay--- as long as you are willing to work or substitute for that greed. Often at times this can mean hardly any effort, which is why I feel these motivators can really help us. It can be fun, we can interpret, work around other things, we can find substitutues that make us happy enough and proud of our efforts. We can build our own. But without an original inspiration, without that first thing we covet that seems untouchable, we'd have never had the idea in the first place nor have had a reason to go out and work for it, come home, and be proud.

Without wanting something we can't have, an opportunity to be proud of ourselves for working with or around it is lost.
Without the existence of that thing that we long for but cannot have, we lose this process as well.

Which brings me to my original thoughts I had in the sauna this afternoon;

I hear so many constant complaints about high fashion. The only conclusion I ever lead to is that you are either assuming the world poorly manages greed like you do, that the world reacts negatively constantly and therefore those of us who do not should not be allowed to enjoy it for ourselves, or perhaps that you are simply ignorant to an interest you wish to have no part in, but still wish to exclaim your views upon to the world around you.

High fashion is an art, and if you have failed to find this as of yet you are either completely blind, are looking in the wrong places, or simply have no appreciation for the body as a canvas. If you have been watching it for years like I have it becomes plain sight for those who open their eyes.

I'm not going into that so much now as I'd like to continue with my original concepts.

So there are all of these untouchable designers we may or may not be able to name, but most likely have encountered plenty of times in our culture today. Dolce and Gabana, Gucci, Prada, Chanel (sadly...yuck) we've all seen these labels flashed before us among the ridiculously rich, magazines, television, whatever the case, and many people get upset. It seems silly that this ignorant child we sit next to in English gets a $3,000 bag that shes got no use for other than to flaunt her endowments, and furthermore, that such a bag should exist, right? And then, the thought ensues that there is an unfair elitism, and then fashion shows are a waste of a few mil, models get paid too much to do nothing but wallor in vanity, people who actually appreciate this stuff suck...I've heard it all and using this way of thinking seems rather easy if this is all that you see. Thing is, it's not really that way underneath it all.

Clothes and shit we buy at macy's or the mall are not the same clothes you see on the runways, although they MAY be the same brand. These are clothes made for everyday people with disposable income...sometimes a shitload of it. Runway shows are composed of works of art, and are usually not for sale unless by special order (meaning they only make a few, or will craft one especially for you for a hefty price.) Not all shows are works of art. Like Coach.
That girl in class with the expensive bag has probably not got the one that critics stir about and artists appreciate, she has been fooled into thinking anything prestigious is what she wants. She is a travesty.
Designers pump out this bullshit to pay their bills. Importing specially woven silks and other items are not cheap, and working fingers to the bone isn't so satisfying without a paycheck either. It's okay to be upset about these things, but man don't take it out on me.
So why does it cost so much anyway?
Because it is the best, of the best, by the best, and unless you are "taking up a career in fashion," a la Lauren Conrad,
upon careful examination in combination with it's performance, we can usually see why without answering questions, if the designer has any real merit at all anyway.

Without the top, without the amazingly beautiful and unattainable works by artists, we would have no reason to not be constantly wearing the same things for decades, no reason to constantly change what we're digging for, what the ideal of beauty might be for every individual...no reason to change...and no inspiration for those who might need a little sometimes.

In every medium theres bullshit artists who are trying to make a buck. Just because high fashion seems so lavish, doesn't mean it ain't the same ole thing. Be happy that you don't have to look at commoners the same way every year, be happy that somebody else is changing their narrow ideas of what to wear constantly, or trust me, you'd be bored. And sorry.

I'm just thankful my hobby's ideal of the top is still so blatantly and celebratedly creative, otherwise I wouldn't be looking anymore. I'm also thankful it gives me the opportunity to wear some things that make me feel great during a certain season, and have the more ignorant strangers compliment the shit out of me in public (often thinking i blew a bunch of cash on it----WRONG!) Here the benefits of having a goal ensue; when a stranger tells you you've reached it, you can't HELP but feel good.

Case in point

PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE????

Clothing, yes.

You know those shirts people get that are half shirts or pretend double shirts or you know? A nice stripe of a pattern starts right in front and for some, perhaps 'convenient' reason they suddenly end at the side seam? You look in the mirror and might think, "WOW this is a cool shirt." Then everyone sees your back side. Is that a plain blue sweater I see there? OH WAIT, no...they turn around and its got shit patternin' out all over. WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THAT?

Firstly, the public 'future' is lazy and ignorant. Obviously we can tell when your shirt collar is sewn onto your sweater. Is it too difficult now to put on two shirts? We only have the energy to pull one thing over our heads in the morning these days? Or, do you really think I cannot tell the difference? Perhaps this form of laziness in appearance widely accepted among our citizens these days. By the Ugg count on any given day, regardless of season, I might be able to support a yes.
And the designer, oh my goodness. Only enough energy to sew the stripe on the front side. It's all that matters, the front, right? There seems to have been, sprouting in the mid 1960s, a sudden trend in disregard for quality and thoroughness in products. What really gets MY goat is that garments are the vessel we use to show our faces to the world. I would not hire you in a pretend shirt. I also wouldn't take you seriously.

Secondly, this entire concept in itself offends and opposes my views of styling completely. If you are what you wear, where might this take us? Several roads. If we are impersonating who we want to be when we wake in the morning, or the part of our own selves that we want to shine, I'm sure that nobody wants to come off as fake. If you wear a pretend shirt you are only implying your own shallowness, ignorance, and your inability to properly adjust to change (and as labeled before, laziness.) You can't fully commit to doing something out of the ordinary, you are used to putting on one shirt and two just won't fly. You think that what anyone else sees besides what you see in the mirror in the morning is irrelevant. You fail to see your own flaws. You have false self confidence. And you have no appreciation for the authentic nor the original. This can be tied to an adolescent moratorium; a child believes that if he goes to hot topic and buys a pair of widelegged chain-covered pants, that he will indeed become "goth." To an adult, we can see through his role playing, but to a peer it might be less obvious. The cd is better than the record. The movie was better than the book. All of these thoughts are very misguided in my opinion, and I suppose the adolescent moratorium experience and outcome may have a lot to be responsible for among adults...and the lack there of.
Down further roads, we all know that spending more money on your appearance doesn't make your personbality any better. But we can use the idea of quality in the "you are what you wear" idea. Do you want to be a walking billboard for a half-assed job? For a lack of appreciation?
We do not. And obviously here, I'm not considering post modernist takes on the subject so never mind satirical interpretations of reality.
If I wear a stripe, I am that stripe. If I wear a pattern, I am the pattern. Humans are 3d. We can't all be walking around with 2-dimensional ideas of an aesthetic, we aren't on the computer popping up windows of argyle patterns and closing them at will. If we want to be this color, picture, or pattern, we have to consider every side of the cube. Designer, wearer, or buyer, no matter.
Being something is about more than the idea you are trying to flash us, more than a picture hanging on a string around our necks of who we want to be when we grow up. Being something is letting it seep out of your every pore, creating your own unique scent that floats around you and waves around you fingers at every conversational gesture.

If you want to be something, all you ave to do is act like you already are and it will follow with time. Remember that when you show your face to the world.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

TIPS -N- TRIX for PEOPLE like GIRLS, THEATER MAJOR GUYS, AND PEOPLE WHO LIKE WEINERS OF ALL GENDERS(likejosh he hasalot)

I mean he likes wienners silly!

For any toms who is nervous about intense stuff like lipstick, eyeliner, or eyebrows, you need to just chill out. Nobody says you have to draw the whole line at once! It's okay to mess up, you CAN erase and try again. Dust yoself, it really is nothing...you dont have to wear the same makeup everyday, and you don't have to be a diva to try something new on yourself. I DARE YOU TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF YOUR EYEBROWS JUST THIS ONCE!

*TIPZ*
--- don't use liquid eyeliner if you aren't used to putting it on every single* morning. That shit DOES show if you can't do it in one try...even if you think I can't see your messups I can!!! MY EYEBALS AREN'T EVEN REALLY THAT BIG

---Your pencil doesn't have to be sharp. Seriously. It actually works much better and is more believable if you never sharpen your shit...the only time this doesn't fly is with lip linin'

---color outside the lines. You can do that, it's fine really. This is how average looking people become pretty, it's called a fake. You fake that your eye is bigger or longer or that your eyebrows are big or small or arched or round or that your lips are thick OR that they are thin or even the size of your cheekbones OR concave hollows of the face. If you want one there, you can put one there.

---Want to lookERASE A DOUBLE CHIN??? Use your blush brush, coat it with some tan or a light brown, and dust along the edge of your chin from ear to ear. WALA

---Want to ease som' nasty pimple zit redness before a hot dait? Whip out ya'lls visine and dibble dabble.

--- Wondrin' bout those brows? Were we meant to be? Use an either nude or brown liner to color your hairs. The color doesn't matter so much as we aren't DONE YET. Now, choose from an array of natural colored shadows, and dip your pinky-sized brush up in that. Dust them hairs. The powerder will stick to the consistency of the liner. If you want your eyes to be further apart here you can also use a slightly lighter shade at the beginning of your brows to widen the face. WOW YOU LOOK GREAT! or, THIS COLOR IS WEIRD LETS TRY ANOTHER ONE!

---Need to knab those sultry egyptian shaped eyes? Ever pulled your eyeskin around until you thought you looked prettier in the third grade? Well JEEZ Don't follow your lower line exactly. Let it come away from your eyeball a little near the outside and fill any in between skin with white. Drag the inner corners of your lower eyeball out a little till you approve. This can actually be subtle depsite my exaggerated instructions, and the outer corner trick can also be used to get those far out marvy fatty eyeballs, or the natural sexy 70s doe-balls(use a lighter brown for that one, duh.)

---Tried it and it's not for me? WRONG. Bet you haven't hardly tried the half of it. You are never allowed to say "Lipstick looks gay on me" or "Blush is stupid." You are a narrowminded dick if you say that cuz you DIDNTCOLOROUTSIDETHELINES. You dont have to want to wear makeup in a spot of course, but you are NOT allowed to rule out a medium just because you tried it that one time and it looked like shit. You probly just did it wrong, TRY AGAIN.

Shit, anyone can be good at anything if they just try the fuck again. I am good because I try the fuck all the time. I been trying the fuck out of shit for like eleven fucking years now. I did it cuz I wanted to learn how to trick you into thinking I look good, I wanted to be able to manipulate my presentation to the world at any moment, I wanted to feel confident that I look a part when I need to. And I do and I can. When you are at a networking meeting don't you want to feel like youre well recieved visually in addition to everything else? Dont you want that job at the super stylish store or the maternity boutique? DONT YOU WANT TO LOOK RICH WHEN UR SHOPPING AT THE MACY'S? SEXY WHEN UR AT THE CLUB?
There is a face for every place. SPACE IS THE FACE!

CZECH YA LATER CHICAS~

STUFF ABOUT MY STUFF

Next week I am to call David Rossiter to come check out the Enlighten Company office. I am preparing to ham it for an internship.

!!!!

Applied to graduate my arts degree yesterday. COOL

Thursday I do another shoot with Jack Kenny and I finally get to go over the last batch of photos. I'm somewhat excited but the stress definitely beets the excitement. 3 projects, 5 papers, 7 exams away... GAY

To recap my endeavors from yesterday---- if you want to hear about deco horror aesthetics and blah blah blah

Upon first sight of Jack Pierce’s astounding makeup masterpiece in Frankenstein (1931) I became deeply infatuated by his work. In combination with the art-deco influenced sets and sharp contrasting lights, the three became an instant work of the mysteriously intriguing past---that of the Depression era. To a person like myself, the 1930s tend to seem like a missing piece of American pop culture history. It is very difficult to find any physical remains of the era beyond what has been left to us in the arts, as not many material possessions have survived from the time period. It is difficult to find archaeological clues: ointments in bottles that made certain strange things easier, perhaps tiny glass clips to keep things together, maybe some photographs so see how a hanky was properly worn by the commoner...these things might exist exclusively in basements or museums that we don’t know of. It is the collector’s enigma in a way. Being able to experience such a time period through the lens of Universal in such a groundbreaking manner for the time period really does become groundbreaking in a strange, remorseful sense. I am able to see these amazing works of art playing out in 3 dimensions, and all angles of every dimension are crafted as artfully as can be. I see a beauty in the simplicity of the plots and the sets, a lack of complications which have escalated to such great heights of satire in our western world today. The easy aesthetics of thick dark lines and geometric shapes---crooked castles to keep us curious and sharp eyebrows to make our imaginational compensation a little more full---these are things we cannot find much outside of the 1930s, and so sorrowful it is to the carefree dreamer of what once was.
This has brought me to my project: a simple recreation of the lighting and makeup which has brought so much pleasure to my own eyes. As a local makeup artist I don’t get many opportunities to work with the intensely exaggerated ideals of this exciting period of horror. I took it upon myself to create this opportunity to work with these long-forgotten aesthetics in the hopes of discovering new ways to look at people and understand this part of our past. I have included a personal recreation of Dr. Frankenstein, as well as Bride of Frankenstein, the very visual character of it’s successful sequel. These two characters are the most visually entertaining to myself. Colin Clive’s reckless god persona and Greta Garbo’s appealing “rat in a cage” act are both quite outstanding and memorably mimicked time and time again.
In my portraits I tried to interpret a three-point lighting system, one behind to create a halo effect and a large lamp above in front pointed at a sharp angle above, which accentuated the sharp shadows seen in both of the Frankenstein films. I used penetrating dark line to accentuate the parts of the face we notice when we are quite ill or crazed for Dr. Frankenstein. I used an angled, tight brush to apply his color, grabbing the more deco shapes out of the shadows. The Bride’s face is more composed of abstract simple color lines and shapes. I used shadow washes for a more graceful and feminine effect, but also because I didn’t want to detract from her paleness.
During this session I noticed a lot of social and sexual attitudes reflecting from the time period in the manner of these two character’s presentations. On the male character we accentuate the lines that we see on a grimaced, masculine, hard-working face. His brow is furrowed and deep in contemplation or philosophical thought. The woman’s face, despite the fact that she is a monster, is still made up to be beautiful. This may come from the idea that women in film must always be pleasing to look at, or the concept that even a monster of a woman is still quite feminine. Also present is the worry that the audience may be bored with a less than beautiful supporting role. Whatever the reason, the comment still stands there for us to interpret. It is not until thirty or forty years later that we see a big casting female made up to be unappealing, and in the 1930s her aesthetic isn’t even necessarily sexual, but that of an artful and respectably intriguing beauty.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Tuesday, November 11, 2008