A little Doodle-y do

Oh, How I Miss My Youth!

These lovely illustrations are from a book called Helping the Weatherman(1920), which is written and illustrated by Gertrude Alice Kay. I found this book looking through the piles and piles and piles of books my mother has collected over the years. We both have a great love for children's books, and this appreciation has only grown for me as I've gotten older. I love discovering unique children's book illustrations, as I find them absolutely inspiring. This book was a standout from the mountain of books that could surely fill a small public library!

Can't Stop Listening To: Dolly Mixture

The UK-based all girl band, formed in 1978, specialized in catchy, poppy, girl-groupy, punky musical charm that didn't quite catapult them into fame. There is a documentary about them I would love to see, but I don't know how I might go about doing that. In the mean time, I will be listening to 'Demontration Tapes', Dolly Mixture's double album which collects their recordings from 1979-1983. I can't wait to listen to the album in it's entirety!

Source: Drop Fashion Street Snap

Yes yes yes yes. YES!
Prints, textures, colors, Angela Chase (My So Called Life) hair!
All glorious (except the fur which looks real?)!

I'm a Real Girl! No Strings To Hold Me Down!

I adore marionettes and their creepy charm. I don't know why but I've always been attracted to the romantic aspect of the creepy and eerie. Although, not all marionettes have to be creepy, for instance, some are sweet little things and some can be straight up works of art!I thought I might share some of the really cool puppets/marionettes that are inspiring me currently.




Artist Paul Klee, Angryelvis, No Rules No Shame

Swiss artist Paul Klee made these puppets for his son(!) He made 50, only 30 of which still exist, between 1916-1925. I just love his offbeat interpretation of the puppet! He is best known for his paintings but his puppets are amazingg.



Sophie Taeuber-Arp, 'The King Stag', 1918, Se Vuoi Pace

Dada artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp, married to Jean Arp, was a painter, designer, sculptor and performer who was involved in the Zürich Dada movement and the Caberet Voltaire. She designed sets and puppets for the Caberet Voltaire and French and Swiss theater productions, also performing as a puppeteer and dancer. She is best known for her work as a painter, but her work with puppets is really interesting as well.


Sophie Taeuber-Arp with her puppets, National Gallery of Art


Emmy Hennings, Dadantiart

Also involved in the Dada movement, Emmy Hennings experimented with puppetry as well. She and her husband Hugo Ball helped to found the Caberet Voltaire which was so essential to the Zürich Dada movement. Emmy was a performer and poet. She was quite the interesting lady.


Erik Sanko,"The Fortune Teller", eriksanko.com

Erik Sanko is a New York City-based marionette maker, artist, and musician.

I grabbed these quotes from UCLA Newsroom to describe 'The Fortune Teller, creepy puppet show from 2007:

Avant-garde musician-composer Sanko's first feature-length puppet theater work, "The Fortune Teller" is a perverse, gleeful morality fable for grown-ups that takes a twisted look at fortune and fate. One-by-one, each of the seven strangers is delivered what they have coming to them, but perhaps not what they are expecting — a brutal but suitable demise (Gluttony, a fat, smelly cook, chokes to death).

"Very few puppet theaters take advantage of their creepy factor," Sanko told The New York Times. "I'm into how potentially creepy puppets can be. They can say things that people would be uncomfortable saying."





Pirro and the Scale (1948, Dir: Alvin J. Gordon),Secret Cinema

Yet another creepy puppet! I can't help myself...I like a creepy puppet, which is why I'm so sad I missed out on this: Creepy Puppet Films- a showing of creepy puppet films projected onto a large screen.

Secret Cinema describes the film this creepy puppet stars in:

Marionette clown Pirro imparts a valuable lesson on weight and measurement. A 1951 guide book for teachers thought that "Pat Patterson, who created and manipulates the puppet, provides the running commentary, which is warm and pleasant at its best, at worst too nervously repetitive." That's part right.




Creepy christmas marionettes! How fun!


Puppets in Prague, flickr: Steeev
I hope to get to Prague someday and visit the marionettes. I have thought about purchasing one but I haven't done so yet. I'm not exactly coordinated so I fear I may be subpar. How humiliating.



Punch and Judy Puppets, Flickr: Blue Dress,Thorskegga

While these aren't marionettes, I find them just as creepy and amusing.


Pelham Puppets,Flickr: macboozle, Blue Dress

Bob Pelham, founder of Pelham Puppets, created very unique puppets and marionettes that are full of character. The company began in 1947 and brought puppets to life up until the 1980s.They are coveted today by collectors and rightly so...How cool is the Madhatter?


Portobello Rd Marionette Girls, my own photos

When my friends and I came across these girls on Portobello Road we had to stop and watch. They were so charming!I even started to conjure up visions of marionettes dangling from my own hands as a crowd gathers around and dances along. I think others may have felt the same way because I found the girls up on youtube. It was not surprising to find others were equally enamoured with their marionette show and felt they had to share. Watch below and see if you don't start thinking they'd look better as a trio!











Tiller Family Marionette Company, Late 19th Century, V&A Collections



Paris Parfait


Paris Parfait



Photograph by Andre Kertesz, Not sure




Einstein with lookalike marionette, Tumblr: mizenscen



Field Family's Puppethouse

Joan and Ron Field, started making marionettes in 1946. They have performed everywhere from Harrod's (back in the beginning) to Buckingham Palace to a private party for Peter Seller's children. Their children, Judy and Ann, both pursued puppetry in their lives but Ann is now a filmmaker. Ann has a few videos on youtube of their performances. Two are posted below!

Also, check out their story because its very interesting!



Joan and Ron Field, Field Family's Puppethouse



Ann Perrin, Daughter of Ron and Joan Field


Field Family's Puppethouse



Field Family's Puppethouse


Field Family's Puppethouse


By Ann Perin, daughter of Joan and Ron Field

The little tidbits about the artists or makers don't do their stories justice! Definitely look them up!

Sketchbook Peek-a-boo # 2

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People Who So Get Where My Head Is At

I am completely obsessive about fancy head gear. Feast your eyes on these!


Sources: Some I have had forever I forget the source!
Flickr: rosewithoutathorn84, outsapop trashion, emma r, zoe m, child of the moon

I will be doing more photo posts featuring hair accessories in the future!Stay tuned!

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Something White This Way Blows

We have yet another blizzard and everything is blanketed in white. While I think the color very pretty swirling through the air and decorating the ground, trees and rooftops, I was never really attracted to the color for my clothing choices, but somehow my mind has been changed. I keep thinking about white for the spring. It feels quite fresh to me! Plus, there are many different ways to wear white.

There is sweet and pretty white:

Bianca Jagger, Veruschka
Source:Child of the Moon


How about street style white?

Source: Dropsnap


Ohh la la! Sexy white anyone?

Julie Christie, I can't remember!
Source:Child of the Moon


Flower Child White:

Unknown, Peggy Lipton
Source:Child of the Moon

I would like to experiment in dress-up sessions with all of these styles! First, I need to gather more white pieces!

What's A Girl To Do?

I confess! I confess! I do not dress appropriately for the weather very often. My philosophy is to dress for the indoor climate because that is where I will be spending the majority of my day. This is what I think makes the most sense. Many may disagree but what should I care? A girl is entitled to her fashion choices, should she suffer for them or not, that's her business!There are exceptions to this rule of course, for example, I once spotted girls in bikinis and uggs playing in the snow. Wrong move, I think, for many a reason I can’t bear to get into…


Blouse- Vintage
Leather Skirt- Vintage
Jacket- Vintage (Punk Rock Flea Market)
Tights- Target
Shoes- Thrifted
Hat- Camden Market (The Stables)
Earrings- Forever 21

The outfit above consists of two very weather inappropriate (post-blizzard) choices, a sheer top and a leather mini skirt. If you’re thinking a hat and a carpet jacket may be just the ticket for a warm and snuggly, weather appropriate touch, you would be wrong. I was shivering up a storm, but I admit I chose this icy fate. This may be my fatal flaw, so don’t be surprised if you hear a rumor about a scantily clad human icicle frozen on a sidewalk somewhere in the middle of a winter wonderland… Frozen.Forever. Ah, but since when is fashion always function? Maybe this outfit isn’t shielding me from the tundra but I’ve been dying to wear this blouse. The question is, should I give into the weather so I don’t make my icicle prediction come true? I…just…don’t…know.

Oh woe is me.

Style Crush: Laura Mary Carter

Laura Mary Carter is one of two members in the Brighton UK based indie band, Blood Red Shoes. She wears sweet little dresses while frantically playing punk-y grungy rock that encourages the excited thumping of many feet(or full body thrashing!) and undoubtedly, the lovesick thumping of many hearts. I'm into it, thus the style crush.




Their second album,'Fire Like This', is being released March 1st!

Will They Nomi Now?

Source: Flickr: Jim's Theme 1969

Who is this unearthly creature? That nutty individual is singer Klaus Nomi. He was a German born man who came to New York City, engrained himself in the East Village scene of the 70s and 80s, and made a name for himself that would never be forgotten. He mixed his interests and skills in opera and performance art with synthesizers to create his own unique pop/glam rock/new wave/ whatever you want to call it -it’s still gonna be awesome- version of music. His recordings have the sound of the 80s but could still be mistaken for an experimental artist recording today. Sadly, he succumbed to complications due to AIDS in 1983 leaving behind the planet some questioned if he was even born on. Klaus’s iconic fashion sense and one of a kind vocal styling has been referenced by several well known names such as Morrissey, Gareth Pugh, and Jean Paul Gaultier, just to name a few! His fashion sense is truly iconic and will continue to keep inspiring all us lowly earthlings.


Sources: Flickr: Tigermetal, Pagesperso-orange

There is a documentary titled The Nomi Song made in 2004 if you are interested in learning more about this very bizarre character. I highly recommend it! (It can be found online very easily!)


Source: Flickr: Gumilev

Check out some videos:







Klaus would have turned 66 on January 24th. Happy belated birthday Klaus!

Golden Slumbers

This is my first "However many different ways to wear something post" which was quite fun to do. I chose a white nightgown to work with and put it in three outfits that could actually work on the street. I am a BIG fan of wearing lingerie as everyday clothing, but you have to be careful how you do it. If not done correctly, there may be hootin' and hollerin' from creeps who may or may not try to converse with/rub all up on you. Also, I am incorporating my beloved coat that I like to call my Carpet Jacket into the three looks because it's practically sewn onto my body. But mostly, the three looks is about the white nightgown.

You'd be surprised just how versatile a nightgown can be!

I can sip tea in it!

Yellow Nightgown- Thrifted
White Nightgown(peeking out of the bottom)- Thrifted
Carpet Jacket- Punk Rock Flea Market
Tights- Target
Velvet Kitten Heels- Thrifted
Headbow- It's tied tulle

I can go to work in it!

White Nightgown-Thrifted
Sweater- Found around house
Carpet Jacket- Punk Rock Flea Market
Tights- H&M
Boots- Jeffrey Campbell
Scarf- Brick Lane- Sunday Up Market

I can go on nature walks in it!

White Nightgown- thrifted
Carpet Jacket- Punk Rock Flea Market
Grandpa Pants- Thrifted
Oxfords- Jeffrey Campbell
Beret- Primark
Bag- Thrifted

These are just some of the many wonderful activities you can do in the outdoors in a nightgown disguised as street wear. There is a whole world of options!

Somebody Else's Clothes (I Wish Were Mine)

Source: Copenhagen Fashion Week

I love love Henrik Vibskov! His work blends street wear and avant garde fashion in a way that is always unique and immediately identifiable as a Henrik Vibskov vision. His certain flair for theatrics is present in the manner in which he reveals his clothing, which is approached more as art “happenings” than a typical fashion show format. He plays with prints, color, and silhouettes like nobody's business which is why he is one of my favorite designers to watch. He also is a fan of the one piece jumper for men and women, and loves to use bizarre-o headpieces. He's a man after my own heart.

His SS10 collection is definitely something I’ll be keeping in mind this spring/summer season. Hell, I could almost recreate this fashion runway presentation in my front yard with the exception the donkey.Although...there are those llamas living next door…

Moving on...


Source: Sonnyphotos

His AW 2010-2011 menswear collection is right up my alley. I think it is amazing as a menswear collection but I also think it would be a really fun collection to interpret into a woman’s wardrobe. I loved it so much that I am already excited for fall, my favorite season of the year! Since we haven’t even moseyed into spring yet I’ll just have to keep the excitement to a minimum. Still- I’ll be keeping my eyes out for similar earthy prints, cozy cardigans, oversize sweaters and jackets, patched up pants and shorts…strangely shaped mirror sunglasses and wooden brain hats? I’m sure those are just hidden somewhere in a quaint little thrift store. (Don't even think DIY, this is not that kind of blog, ya hear?)


Source: Dazed Digital

The guy in the middle below is wearing one of my favorite looks from the collection


Source: Sonnyphotos

Also, white fingertips Mr. Vibskov? Whaaaaa? Well played.