you could see these girls on the street in any major city across the globe, no? indie girls trying to set themselves apart from the pack. or perhaps, trendy girls with nice bags, looking blase in their ballerninas. i’ve seen my fair share on the streets of chicago (where i still am at the moment!), in wicker park, and on michigan avenue, respectfully. those gals might see themselves as unique, think they are “different”…but, whoa, they all look so scarily similar, do they not? the same type of bags, the slouchy knit berets, the long, layered tresses tossled just so, the ubiquitous skinny jeans…

are any of us really “different”? or as “different” as we think we are?

nope. not really!

it’s pretty curious, eh?

we’re really very categorizable, moreso than we probably want to believe.

i called this post exactitudes, part deux, because, whatdaya know, it seems i wrote about the exactitudes project way back in early 2008…but it seems to be making the internet rounds again. and for good reason, as the project is ongoing, and utterly facinating.

a quote from my original post on the exactitudes project:

you can read the rest here, if you so wish!

go to the exactitudes website to learn more about the project.

p.s., a tip:
turn your sound up when looking at the groups of photos on the exactitudes website, as the individual photos are accompanied by little illustrative soundbites!

these two ladies popped into my feed reader around the same time…and seeing them, one after the other, warmed my heart and made me smile. these ladies, though advanced in age, clearly have a young spirit residing within them. a penchant for expressing themselves in an artful, daring way that dallies with modernity, and youth without, to my eye, looking like a “mutton dressed as a lamb,” as the old (tired) saying goes. they are at once “age appropriate” and pushing the envelope for what’s expected of, or typically worn by their demographic (see: that pink hair, those plaid combat boots!!). i hope i look half as good when i find myself at their age…and that i am still expressing my own self with the same attention to detail and clearly apparent joie de vivre that these ladies project. they seem to delight in the act of dressing, perhaps they always have…it would be interesting to see what these women were like in their “younger years”.

on a related note: i am happy that street fashion blogs like advanced style (still) exist, and that some street fashion photographers have a broad focus in the age, gender, race and aesthetic they choose to publish. diversity is good…it keeps life interesting, and the novelty is pleasing to the eye and the brain, no?

care to share any links to street fashion/fashion blogs which feature/focus on or are written/curated by/for people of “advanced age”? one’s that do their work or express themselves with panache? do tell.

photo archive entitled what we wore @ (found photo site) square america = street fashion photos from the past?

or something like that…

anyway, fun!

(thanks, the storque!)

-have street style sites reached a saturation point? i.e., are there too many of said websites, with too many of them essentially showing the same thing (same type of people, too similar of styles), over and over? do we need MORE street style websites? one from every city, town, village? multiple ones from every city? would more be better? or would less be better?

-are street style sites, as a blog/website category, losing their novelty? or, as morgan and her commenters suppose, are they just reaching a saturation point amongst those who have long been rabid fans of that particular genre of fashion photography?

-are many of the popular street fashion websites/blogs too focused upon one style, at the expense of other styles/a sense of diversity? or could one argue that the photographers running and maintaining those sites have focused their eye upon a certain aesthetic that appeals to those individuals and their readers?

-to take this a bit further: is there, in this day and age, a discernible difference between the denizens of one city to the next, as far as documentable street fashion/fashion trends are concerned? or has easy access to the internet and globalization of retail homogenized style to a great degree? meaning, can we tell the difference between the hipsters in paris and the ones dwelling in london, or the ones who hail from san francisco or the ones who hail from new york?

-morgan asks, and i in turn ask too: if street style/fashion blogs are beginning to become or have become passe (at least amongst some small subset, perhaps), then what the heck is next?

-will this kind of thing (street style websites and their ilk) stick around and become ubiqutious and everywhere?

-will only the strong survive? (note that a lot popped up a long while ago, and have since been abandoned, new ones have sprung up in their wake.)

-what will or could this type of blogging and documentation of those around us morph/evolve into, if anything?

an amusing clip on street style in kiev, ukraine. it’s by street style site, FAK!’s founder, phil bananov, and was recently featured on current.

i love the attitude of anton, the guy who looks like an “ordinary american punk/skateboarder”. seems like america is still loved, in some way, around the world (for some of our culture, if not our politics!)…

-some speculate that the long coveted size zero figure is perhaps trending towards going the way of the dodo (at least for a little while) (via the times online). a culture-wide fascination with a more voluptuous figure is now on the rise, in some fashion and fame circles, anyway. as to what is exactly meant by “curvy” to these fashion folks is up for debate, but some say the bony girls that have dominated the runways in past years have been told, by some fashion designers and editors, to take off, in order to make room for women with a “bigger” presence. how long this (“new”) obsession with curves will last is anyone’s guess, but if it’s true, it’s certainly worth noting.

my questions:

-could this new fascination with curves (and “realness”) in fashion be a reflection of the turn our culture is taking in a general sense? are people craving “realness” in aesthetics at the same time they are asking for “realness” in economics, politics, and beyond? in times of leanness, do we sometimes value that which looks even a little bit excessive? i put this idea forward in light of how the impossibly skinny reigned so long in the inflated, excessive years most recently past. i also think of how even further back in history, “rubenesque” women were celebrated in leaner times, as their shape suggested wealth and easy access to resources…

see also: even in a reeling economy, the rich spoiled brat is a fashion and cultural heroine (via the new york times)

-psfk, in a recent post, posited that the DIY lifestyle will become culturally mainstream as the economy slides ever downward. i’ve suggested this many times here on bits and bobbins over the past few years (and feel like they are thus a little behind the times in suggesting this, but nonetheless)…

i wonder:

-IS the DIY lifestyle indeed becoming more mainstream? in what ways? posit, if you please.

-are more people taking classes, and consulting books, the internet and other resources in order to educate themselves on ways to DI(y/themselves) instead of buy, buy, buying or employing the services of others (things they may have done in a bull market)? can (or has) this increase be(en) quantified? surely, someone has done research in this area…?

the quick and dirty stuffs:

-i am sure you street fashion fan girls (and guys) will be glad to hear that the sartorialist’s scott schuman has allegedly scored himself a book deal (via farpitz, via fashionista). a nice coffee table coup for someone who doesn’t even consider himself a street fashion photog. not my cup o’ tea (i rather loathe the guy and all he stands for), but i’m passing on the word to you anyway.

-treehugger has crafted a huge, multi-part guide to greening your wardrobe, chocked full of suggestions, stats, and sources. well worth a major peruse on your part.

-word of the elder-focused street-style blog advanced style has been making the rounds…i’m mentioning it here with the intention of giving it another spin. genius idea…sartorially sassy and snazzy grandmas and grandpas duly deserve recognition and accolades.

-LOVE this idea for shredding a tee (really, it’s just knits “laddering”, but anyway!) from childhood flames. someday i’d love to give it a go.

-these scarves made by spool sewing using quilt/knit master kaffe fassett’s shot cotton fabrics are stunning…they feel utterly modern with their deconstructed looks. and oh my, the colors…luscious.

-a fab idea to fashion a few decopage decorated bangle bracelets, here, on one pearl button (via whip up)

through the lovely ms. shoo of she breathes i read about a photographer named nnontsikelelo “lolo” veleko, who shoots stunningly beautiful street fashion-style photos in her hometown, johannesburg, south africa. the photos seen above are part of is part of a series that has the very apt title of “beauty is in the eyes of a beholder”.

you can see more of nnontsikelelo “lolo” veleko’s work here, and can find out more about her artistic motivations and personal history here.

after taking in the above photos i had the following thoughts:

one: that, in general, style and trends these days are incredibly, almost scarily global. the clothes the folks in the photos are wearing are in many, many ways, similar to those folks are wearing in most major urban areas across the world, and were probably sourced at similar retail outlets. one could perhaps argue that these people could be from anywhere, not specifically africa, if we’re just looking at their clothing.

two: one the other hand, even though the clothes the folks are wearing strongly suggest the influence and reach of globalization of goods and culture in our modern times, there is something distinct and beautiful, and dare i say, local/provencial about the style of the people she shoots. i’d argue that special, different factor at play here has something to do with the use of color and pattern: it’s fearless, in your face, relentless, idiosyncratic. i don’t know a tremendous amount about south african history, but i am wondering if color, or pattern mixing in the way of textiles, in the past or present, has or had a symbolic meaning or history in the local or national culture…and if this influences the way the young people dress there in any way? also…it’s not just what they are wearing…it’s something about who they are, and how they are wearing it. it’s the mix…methinks. there seems to be a local flavor i’m feeling. is it just me? feel free to debate the converse if you so please.

related notes of interest:

-nnontsikelelo “lolo” veleko’s work is part of an exhibit that is currently running at NYU’s gray art gallery called the poetics of cloth: african textiles/recent art. if you’re lucky enough to be in or around NYC, go see it! (and report back and let me know how it was, if you don’t mind!)

-according to south african street style, south africa’s version of elle deems the sartorially savvy street-sourced style-mavens of johannesburg (like the ones depicted in veleko’s body of work) “’smarteez’: brown on the inside, multicoloured on the outside,” and suggest that they are the south african version of the seminal young fashion mavericks of harajuku…

“fashion statements may seem insignificant, but when they lead to the mainstreaming of violence — unintentionally or not — they matter. ignorance is no longer an excuse.”

upon hearing about said kerfuffle, i started thinking about all those hipster kids who wear actual keffiyeh scarves these days (or at least they did in recently past days…are they still popular?). do all of those hipster kids know what such scarves might represent or symbolize, to palestinians, or to other opposing camps? are they even aware of their country of origin? has the symbolism of the scarves to palestinians (whether intended to be incendiary or mererly culturally referential and benign) been lost on said hipster kids because they are ignorant of their deeper meaning or provenance, as they may just be focusing on the wearing of such to follow a trend or because they merely like the colors or the pattern on said scarves? or do those hipster kids just see them purely as a fashion item?

i’d venture to say that the same goes for a lot of items when they make the transition from one culture or country to another…many times, the original meaning or symbolism or source of a textile or garment is forgotten, ignored, or destroyed when such pieces make a transition from one culture to another. something is lost in the translation.

in reference to malkin’s statement about fashion statements, is ignorance no longer an excuse when it comes to fashion and what we wear? are we, as a wearer of whatever, responsible for knowing the potential meanings or sources of all the things we choose to wear? is it even possible to track the meaning of everything we don?

do we have to take a stance when we wear something, or know the stances of others on said items, or at least be aware of their stances? or is it okay to just wear something “because you like it”, or because it “looks good to you” (aka, appeals to your sense of aesthetics), even though it’s significance might be different in the context of another culture? are we especially responsible for knowing the meaning of something if it’s questionable or political in it’s meaning?

-what do you think of the notion of “trying too hard” when it comes to getting dressed? is such a statement simply subjective, a potentially pejorative judgement made by a critical outside observer? do some people actually factually “try too hard”?

but…is trying too hard a bad thing? can it be a REALLY GOOD THING when it comes to self-expression via dress? can the idea “trying too hard” perhaps imply a feeling of and love for the experimental?

is “trying too hard” hard for some to stomach because the idea trying implies risk, which some more conservative folks are loathe to toy with, out of fear of public ridicule (for starters)?

some of such is the subject of a recent post by disney roller girl…which was also expounded upon and linked to by the imitible susie of style bubble.

also, relatedly, what’s so wrong with the ugly? do you embrace the ugly, and find the declasse worthy of championing? can ‘ugly’ actually be ‘beautiful’? (via kingdom of style) to reiterate the line of questioning queen michelle employs, when is ugly truly ugly? are there limits and strict definitions of beauty, of ugliness?

or consider this: is there any other statement that so clearly expresses the idea that the notion of beauty and style and aesthetics is exceedingly subjective and extremely personal?

-what say you on the subject of bodysnarking? does the internet facilitate and perhaps make it “okay” culturally to comment negatively on the bodies of others, famous folks, or otherwise? what about the internet perpetuates this behavior? is it the inherent anonymity of the web?

are we all a little too concerned with what we look like, or what others look like? is this only getting more acute?

the last few months or year has seen what seems to me to be to be an explosive proliferation of street style/personal style/fashion blogs.

and, just in the past year or even past few months, there has also been a launch of a myriad of fashion-sharing sites. many of the fashion/style sharing sites have an element of rating (or rating systems)…i.e., users are encouraged not to simply celebrate, but to criticize.

snark is in…and the people seem to love it. reading it, participating in it. but is this good? does it ever go too far?

if we post a picture of ourselves on the internet, should we be prepared for and expect the comments that might ensue, both positive or negative in nature? do those comments matter in scheme of things? are they ‘real’? do they hurt less or mean more because they are sourced via the internet?

and the (sometimes not so) quick and dirty!

-heads up san francisco/bay area people: modern printmaking maven lotta jansdotter is putting on a free print party this coming saturday, june 7th from 5-8 pm at the craft gym, here in san francisco, to promote her new printmaking book, lotta prints, which was recently published by chronicle. lotta will be demo-ing some of the techniques she illustrates in the book, like rubber and potato stamping, and observers will be able to join in the fun and take said techniques for a spin themselves. the craft gym is at 1452 bush street (between van ness & polk). i heard there shall be drinks and snacks there as well. i’m going to try and make to this event if i can! why don’t you, too?

-also for the san franciscans, particularly those into hats and millinery: local milliner de anna gibbons of brimming over millinery is offering hat-making classes/workshops through the summer and fall. see her site for more details on these classes.

-and one more for you SF’ers!: built by wendy san francisco is having a spring sample sale this coming weekend (june 6th and 7th) here in SF. more details here.

-the new issue of NEET magazine (june 2008) is out, on zee web. apparently there’s an article in this new issue which has quotes from wardrobe_remix(ers) on the topic of ethics and fashion, culled at least partially from this discussion here in the wardrobe_remix discussion forums.

-in the month of may, sewing blog sew mama sew had a big old series of posts and projects that addressed important/useful sewing techniques, in honor of women’s clothing month. check out the archive of said posts here.

-via fine little day, i stumbled upon a cool online design mag called blanket magazine. said mag (in their own words) “is a free PDF online magazine that is aimed at uncovering (excuse the pun!) art + design + photography from the talented people who create it”. the most recent available issue is the ‘recycled’ issue. neat!

-decor8 has a round-up of indie textile designers that can be found on etsy. why not use the handiwork of one of them for your next sewing project?

-fops and dandies (one of my fave fashion-related blogs, btw) made a little post a few days ago about how she makes living and looking stylish work whilst living in notoriously expensive new york city. in that missive, she referenced an article in the new york times about how other young and just-starting-out ny-ers do the same. i read both her post and the article with great interest, because boy oh boy, can i relate, having lived in NYC, and now SF (both VERY expensive locales with near insane costs-of-living). the husband and i have had to make a lot of “sacrifices” to live in both places as well, in order to afford other things and live the lifestyle we desire. yes, we have to forgo luxuries others might take for granted and it’s not all perfect, but we make it work.

what about you? if you’re an urban dweller living in an expensive city, how do you ‘make do’? what ‘cons’ about living in a city or dealing with great expenses do you stomach in lieu of being able to enjoy the ‘pros’? how do you ensure that you are able to afford certain luxuries (‘luxuries’ to be defined by you, of course)? do you pinch the pennies harder in one or many areas so you can spend with relative abandon in others? what are the ways in which you do this? how does this creative budgeting and creative living affect what you do end up adding to your wardrobe or how you dress/express yourself?

-and sort of related to the last two: what about the notion of giving up all that stuff, all those clothes and whatevers, in order to pursue a life of voluntary simplicity? (via the new york times) sometimes, some say, all that stuff you own can really end up owning you. do you really NEED it all? do you really NEED a closet bursting with clothing, if you really only need or even wear a fraction of it? HONESTLY, do you feel more is more, or do you feel that is less more? can being free of THINGS make one actually feel more ‘free’?

i love pretty things, i have to admit. i probably own too many things…but do try to sort through said things and aim to consciously stem my acquisitions, both with increasing regularity. but i am not perfect. to give it all up might prove a challenge for me, personally.

but…could YOU do it? could you give all your things up and live the simple life? do you ever get the urge to do so? do you know anyone who has? can you shed some light on how they make it work and they manage to maintain that almost ascetic level of simplicity in their life? what keeps them motivated?

and just a few of the quick and dirty today…

-forget that they are being worn by celebs (really, who cares??)…check out this round-up of great leggings sewing patterns that was recently posted on the threadbanger blog.

-ranna of only shallow posted a link to a gallery of photos her fellow stylish finns as snapped at an event put on by finnish retailer stockmann that apparently featured/celebrated the work of some of finland’s finest young fashion talent. i love the statement and sentiment of the sign the folks are all holding: ‘this is me, who are you?’

said statement kind of succinctly reminds me of the ethos and motivation of/behind why i started/why people post to wardrobe_remix, in a way, i must say!

p.s. i wish i could read finnish!

-altered couture magazine, a periodical all about altered and embellished wearables looks like it’s worth a look. thanks to outsapop for the heads-up!

the fine people over at JPG magazine asked me to be a guest editor for this theme, what an honor!

see their blog post about the challenge here, and if you’re a member of JPG, you can enter a photo in the challenge and vote upon the submissions as well. the same basic rules that apply over at wardrobe_remix apply for this challenge…ya know, head-to-toe and all that jazz.

if you’d just like to browse the entries entered thus far, go here!

the contest runs through next week.

thanks, JPG magazine! i cannot wait to see all the fabulous entries.