Year: 2016

“Mic drop” gown

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What you can become is the miracle you were born to be through the work that you do. –Kurt Vonnegut I dropped a mic a month ago. Over the past 7 years, I built a magical life from scratch, using the medium of mere words. Self employment. Stage popularity. Community figurehead-ism. Yet somehow, I ended up utterly caged inside my own creations. Lonely. Broke. Trapped. When at my depressive lowest, I would often stare at photos of deep space taken by the Hubble Telescope. The infinite release of a profoundly glorious and indifferent universe. So I quit it all. Though it took an act of God, I quit it all. And quitting my “dream life” has been nothing short of an ecstatic freedom. Dropping the mic on stage felt like dropping a world of weight off my shoulders. Boom.1960s Helen Bass California deep space print gown – $45, In Retrospect vintage/consignment  | Cindy Says green-gold hells – $I can’t remember but they were half off, Piece Unique | Feather earrings – $14 Record Exchange | Busted mic, gift from my rockstar friend Ned Evett (because I’m not an asshole who would drop a live …

“Lois Lane’s alter ego” outfit

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I’ll bet Lois Lane was also secretly a superhero, and both she and Clark Kent/superman were just using each other as norm-core beards. Shazam! This outfit’s like she’s plugging away at her day job as an award-winning journalist but left her superhero belt on. A fashion wink to alter egos everywhere. Kapow! no brand tag, possibly home-made coral, black & cream striped dress -$15 (I think), Super Fantastic Triple Yard Sale – previously sported by Boise artist Erin Cunningham, I think, but maybe Danielle Hurd, because things got a bit frenzied as I tried things on in the yard |  Banana Republic twisted black and tan leather slip-on heels, $4, Gold Mine thrift store (Ketchum, ID) | Black & gold arrow banded belt – $0.94, ReStyle thrift store Cheep!

“Day at the Regatta” outfit

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Outfit names just come to me like saintly voices to Joan of Arc. I have no choice. I do my duty—and take the designations as they come. Day at the regatta.* It sounded so yachting. So seaside seersucker East Coast-y. So gimlets** on the dock, bwah-haw-haw-ty. So then I googled it, and the image spread was somewhere between the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and Girls Gone Wild. I guess regattas aren’t as classy as they used to be. vintage I. Magnin & Co. buttoned up striped dress – $20, Super Fantastic Triple Yard Sale – previously sported by Boise artist Erin Cunningham (I fashion blogged about her!) | Enamel blue flame earrings – Gift, Cuba via my smuggler/friend Jeff Cramer | Steiger navy leather blue heels with brass eyelets – $7, ReStyle On side table: vintage navy leather clutch – $8, Super Fantastic Triple Yard Sale – previously sported by Danielle Hurd | Nine West cream sunglasses – Free, In Retrospect b/c they were in the lost & found bin for more than a month and I’m crafty as fuck Word guide for non-classy types: * Regatta: a sporting …

“Japanese silkscreen” outfit

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Now this paints a pretty picture. Carole Little Japanese flower print vest (it’s rayon and acetate, not actually silk you guys, so I really pulled one over with the title) – $0.99 (sale!), ReStyle thrift store | Vivienne Westwood red skirt – $20, Lux Fashion Lounge | Guess black patent leather with gold buckle stilettos – $11, Idaho Youth Ranch thrift store | red polka dot fan – Gift bag – Atomic Treasures (received for judging this year’s Boise’s Funniest Person competition) Vinyl of the day: “So Runs the World Away” by Josh Ritter Cheep!

“Luxe at the Lux” outfit

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I rarely feel overdressed, but last night at the Neurolux, it occurred to me that maybe this silk wonder is a bit much. And then, I draped myself over their pool table. I’ll do anything for fashion. Especially risk being too luxe. Exquisite photographs by the multi-dimensional, multi-talented Kim Philley. Pool-table guest appearance by Xtopher Web. vintage Doreen: Handtailored in Thailand The Royal Orchid Hotel, Bangkok (I wrote that exactly as presented on tag. Now that’s fancy.) multi-dimensional pink & orange silk print dress  – $24 @ 25% off sale = $18, Antique World Mall | Steiger navy leather blue heels with brass eyelets – $7, ReStyle Cheep!

“Criss-cross applesauce” outfit

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Saucy. ($2 dollar special.) Moda International black silk wrap tank, $1 (sale) – ReStyle thrift store | DKNY two-tone tan/black pants, $1 (sale) – ReStyle thrift store |  Banana Republic twisted black and tan leather slip-on heels, $4, Gold Mine thrift store (Ketchum, ID) Cheep!

“Kool” outfit

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 Too kool for school. Like an existential model, I had this Gwendolyn Brooks poem in my mind during this whole self-examined photoshoot, because I’m so cool you guys. We real cool. We / Left school. We / Lurk late. We / Strike straight. We / Sing sin. We / Thin gin. We / Jazz June. We / Die soon. boutique castoff Lush teal green tank, $3.75, Idaho Youth Ranch thrift store | Ralph Lauren Jeans Co. faded black denim – $1 (sale), ReStyle thrift store | Banana Republic twisted black and tan leather slip-on heels, $4, Gold Mine thrift store (Ketchum, ID) Rolling with the Holmies. (Groans. Revokes cool card.) Cheep it up.

“Bronze Metalist” outfit

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I’m a real metal winner. (Mettle, too.) (Just no medals.) Hawaiian Moon sage green silk dress – gifted & thrifted | vintage Carmelton bronze sheer party top (made in USA) – $1, ReStyle thrift store  | Cindy Says green-gold hells, Piece Unique, $I can’t remember but they were half off  Cheep!

“No white flags after Labor Day” outfit

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This is the first, and probably the last, time I’ll ever wear this hard-to-match orange-y knit top, these wonky over-sized, white pants. But with thrift store shopping, there’s zero buyer’s remorse when you make a mistake. You basically give a donation to a nonprofit for real good stuff. Then you make killer $7 outfits out of it. And when you’re done, you just “release it back into the stream,” as I call re-donating, like a down-home preacher would speak of a soul at a funeral. Real life is not so cut and dry. Your choices much more complex and layered. The missteps much more costly. But at least, every single day is another shot at a new outfit.Fiets Voor 2 orange creamsicle knit top, $3.75, Idaho Youth Ranch thrift store | Izod of London white pants, $5, ReStyle thrift store | Cindy Says green-gold hells, Piece Unique, $I can’t remember but they were half off  Cheep it up.

“All that glitters” outfit

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Sequins. Once to me the very definition of standout, of stage wear, of sexy. For all seasons. Lately, I’ve been staring at the thick of sequins in my closet, wondering, “Where did that girl go?” Lately, my tastes run a bit more up close and personal. To catch the gleam of the gold threading in the white flowers of this lace. To see the iridescent sheen of the transparent beads on this Christian Dior belt. To see earrings made of cotton candy pink enamel and gold dragonfly wings. I suppose I no longer want to demand—glittery style-wise—people to look at me. I want to draw them in. Or just amuse myself, alone. Liz Claiborne gold threaded lace top – $1 (sale), ReStyle thrift store | vintage Christian Dior iridescent beaded belt – $5, Repeat Boutique consignment store | vintage Pride & Joy blush rose pants (made in U.S.A.) – $1 (sale), ReStyle thrift store | Damiani (made in Italy) bronze & gold sandals, $5, Idaho Youth Ranch thrift store Cheep, cheep.