Friday, March 25, 2011

put a bird on it

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Another grey and gloomy day that doesn't resemble spring in the slightest... and a neutral palette to match! Truth be told, this outfit immediately flashed before my eyes when I received this Modcloth dress (hooray Cabin Fever Sale!) in the mail, but I have this complex about wearing a new dress in its natural state (read: sans cardigans and other cover-ups) before remixing it with other articles of clothing. I was especially hoping to wear this pretty feather dress in a simple way because the back is the best part... but alas, it is still too cold to go bare-backed. You can bet I'll be wearing it again very soon!

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(dress: modcloth; cardigan: old navy; headband: uo; tights: kohl's; shoes: payless; belt: thrifted)

I also had to include the last photo (above) because I was actually stumbling at the moment the photo was taken, and yet I look rather graceful! That never happens! My twisted feet are the only indication that anything is awry :)

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K took this photo for me in Burlington this morning, when we dropped his car off for the snow-to-summer tire switch. I had originally wanted him to take all the photos here, but as you can see they are rather dark and not blog worthy (after all, this is a style blog, not an adorable-lighthouse-in-the-background blog).

Whenever I wear bird-related paraphernalia on my body now (dress, headdress... you might even mistake me for a seagull in that last photo) I can't help but think of Portlandia (which I've never seen, but like any self-respecting once-resident of the city, have heard much about) and the "put a bird on it" phenomenon in hipster art. Birds and moustaches are big. And bicycles (actual bicycles or bicycle prints and accessories). If anyone has been to/lived in Portland, you surely couldn't help but recognize that it is a mecca for pretentious hipster-meets-hippie art-meets-environment culture. Since I grew up in a genuinely crunchy granola community, with all kinds of artists and musicians (people who play instruments or paint or sculpt just because they enjoy it, not to make a living doing it) emerging from the forest every now and then, I am rather amused by the urbanization of that culture in general (but I think it's also really great). I am also incredible intimidated by it because I'm really pretty ignorant about art and music in a technical sense and I have been shockingly sheltered from the world of "cool"--and because my relationship with the creative sphere is a very primal experience. I like what I like, usually because of the way that it makes me feel, and maybe I can't define or describe it to someone else in a way that makes any sort of sense. So I don't try. But today I put a bird on, so I'm cool. Well, parts of a bird. That counts, right?

9 comments:

  1. I love this print, the feathers are so pretty (in your hair and on the dress), and it looks great with the cardigan. When I get a new dress I usually just wear it on it's own before I can think of interesting ways to remix it!
    And I agree with your comment about shopping on my blog, thrifting is a great way to get rid of consumer energy while not really consuming, recycling! And its so fun to find buried treasures in thrift stores.
    xJennaD

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  2. Love the feathers in the hair to do with the dress. I like to debut dresses on the blog in their original form too, but weather doesn't always permit.

    Don't even get me started on pretentious hipsters. I had no problem with them before this year, and kind of grudgingly supposed that I must fit into that bracket. But the London hipsters with their round sunglasses, ridiculously layered fur coats, vintage bicycles and red lipstick moving like an army through a host of nice places all weekend are driving me crazy. Another thing I hate: when they all go around with ripped tights, not in a punk way, but in a "I can't afford new tights way."

    Sorry, rant over. I'm sure the Portland crew are more like the Vancouver crew, and a bit more sane!

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  3. I always feel like a need to have some sort of 'occasion' to debut a new dress, which is silly i know. I love the feather print on this. Also your comments about out a bird on it style hipsters are really funny. I know exactly the kind of people you mean.

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  4. I love that shade of blue on you.

    Portlandia is hilarious. I've never even been to OR, but if you know a hipster or are one, its great.

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  5. Yeah, WTF spring?? I thought you were supposed to be warm and awesome, not cold and shitty.

    Anyway, you look phenomenal. This bird dress is the coolest thing ever, and looks fantastic on you! :)

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  6. I love this dress, I don't think it's too hipster-y at all!

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  7. "Since I grew up in a genuinely crunchy granola community, with all kinds of artists and musicians (people who play instruments or paint or sculpt just because they enjoy it, not to make a living doing it) emerging from the forest every now and then..."

    Seriously! I love where we're from. You have no idea how thankful I am, every single day, for having grown up in a tiny little Vermont town, in a tiny little creative community.

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  8. This might be my favorite outfit I've ever seen from you! I just love these colors together.

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  9. Sales are the BEST! And what a find with that dress - is beautiful!

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