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Last night Scott read to me
Mark Twain's essay on Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper. I'm sure most of you are familiar with it but I was not. Dear readers, I laughed. A lot.
Mr Twain, it seems, was unfond of Cooper's writing. In one of the bits that made me laugh the hardest, Twain sets out the "nineteen rules governing literary art in the domain of romantic fiction," and exactly how Cooper violated them. The fifth of these rules requires that
when the personages of a tale deal in conversation, the talk shall sound like human talk, and be talk such as human beings would be likely to talk in the given circumstances, and have a discoverable meaning, also a ...
Posted by Justine at 8:21, April 21st, 2010 under Fashion, Reading, Writing life |
Why do so many people read any statement, no matter how innocuous, as being about them? For example, I have mentioned my dislike of chocolate and people have gotten cranky. As if my chocolate hatred will somehow deprive them of it. Huh?
Every time I talk about my love of fashion someone says, "I just want comfortable clothes! Give me jeans and t-shirts!" Which always strikes me as deeply bizarre because a) no one has said a word against jeans and t-shirts, b) t-shirts and jeans are items of fashion, c) having a desire for a ballgown does not mean that person doesn't also wear jeans and t-shirts. (For the record I am wearing jeans and a New York Liberty ...
Posted by Justine at 21:41, March 23rd, 2010 under Bloggery, Fashion, Ranting, State of the World, Writing process |
As some of you know Alexander McQueen committed suicide earlier this year. He was one of my
favourite living designers. I own a shirt, two jackets and a skirt of his. I have gotten a great deal of wear out of them and yet they still look new. They're gorgeous, exquisitely cut, not to mention comfortable. When I wear them I feel taller and stronger and more stylish. They make me happy.
It's hard to explain to people with zero interest in fashion why designers like McQueen have such loyal followers. Why his death made me cry. It's even harder to explain it to people who actively hate fashion. But I want to try.
Clothes like the ones Alexander McQueen made ...
Posted by Justine at 17:56, March 21st, 2010 under Fashion, Praising, Viewing |
Thank you so much for all the
wonderful, moving, scary, funny stories about hair.
I wanted to highlight this comment from
Wonders of Maybe because it underlines how hair and fashion and politics and identity (self and imposed from the outside) co-exist:
Hmm --- I'm multiracial (Black/Native American/White) and very, very light-skinned with extremely thick, curly hair. I'm talking spirals on "good" days and fluffy frizz on "bad" days! When I was young I wanted to straighten my hair because of how much I got hassled but once I turned 12, I was intent upon my hair staying natural. With such light skin, I feel it's an honest indicator of what I am and who I am since ...
Posted by Justine at 21:45, January 5th, 2010 under Fashion, State of the World, Writing process |
I have always loved curly hair. I myself have straight hair so my preference for curly is usually ascribed to the fact that I don't have it. My hairdresser says all the straight-haired girls want curly hair and all the curly-haired girls want straight hair. When I press him on this, however, he admits that it's not entirely true. That many of his clients are quite happy with their hair. I, too, am quite happy with my hair. But I do get bored and I'm glad that I know how to make it wavy without too much effort. A change, they say, is as good as a holiday. To which I'd say depends on the change and depends on the ...
Posted by Justine at 6:40, January 3rd, 2010 under Fashion, State of the World |
Sorry about the on-again-off-again-ness of this blog today. We were moving hosts. And now are safely ensconsed in new home. Yay! Thank you, Tempest, for all your hard work!
I discovered that a few hours without my blog turns me into a jittery mess. Thank Elvis, for Twitter. Though those who follow my Twitter feed are probably bitter about my excessive spamage today. Sorry!
In other news I saw a jewelled propeller gorget hat thingie:
Thought to be designed by
Valentina from around 1950. (Was a bit tricky to photograph, being black on black, and me only having crappy phone camera. Just peer closely.)
When I get my ballgown this is what I'm wearing with it.
Posted by Justine at 23:23, April 22nd, 2009 under Bloggery, Fashion |
Posted by Justine at 10:18, April 19th, 2009 under Fashion |
Went shopping today with my friend
Alaya who knows where to buy good, cheap hair accessories in New York City. I made out like a bandit:
Thanks, Alaya! (Happy birthday for Monday!)
Posted by Justine at 0:31, March 25th, 2009 under Fashion, Frippery |
Posted by Justine at 0:59, March 11th, 2009 under Fashion |
Posted by Justine at 3:44, February 23rd, 2009 under Book tour, Fashion, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:07, February 15th, 2009 under Fashion, Magic or Madness trilogy |
I see that I have not ranted about any of my fashion hates since the dawn of time! That is not right and must be fixed immediately.
What, you ask, am I hating on right now? Here are two words that should never go together:
"Roman" and "sandals"
They're also known as gladiator sandals and Greek sandals. They are abominations. And I've been seeing them everywhere here in sunny Sydney. They are an affront to my eyes!
And, I suspect, an affront to the person who's wearing them's calves. Seriously, look at how many spots there are for chafing and blisters. It's been in the high 20s and low thirties for a while now and a bit humid. ((Yes, I ...
Posted by Justine at 2:44, February 3rd, 2009 under Fashion, Ranting |
Posted by Justine at 6:07, October 23rd, 2008 under Fashion, New York City/USA, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, May 14th, 2008 under Fashion |
I can't believe no one's voted against gypsy skirts either. Mis-matched flaps of coloured cotton (or worse synthethic) piled layer on top of layer in an unholy mess. What's to like, people?
Also the next person who writes to me defending their hideous taste in liking ballet flats/espadrilles/formal shorts/shrugs/other fashion atrocity will be hit with a bad fashion curse. That's right I will hex you so you never look good in clothes again. EVER.
Though, come to think of it, perhaps you're all writing to me to defend these fashion atrocities because you've already been hit with the bad fashion curse. Hmmm. I will have to think further on a better punishment . . .
And for those who seem unable to find ...
Posted by Justine at 13:52, May 13th, 2008 under Fashion, Frippery |
Posted by Justine at 12:05, May 12th, 2008 under Bloggery, Fashion, Frippery, Vainglory, Writing goals & milestones |
I see that it's more than a year since
I last ranted about clothes. That's ridiculous! It's well past time that I ranted again!
Except that, well, on my European travels I didn't see many clothes that offended me. Shocking but true.
I'll admit that I'm not wild about ballet flats or kitten heels. But I can't really get up into a frothing rage about them.
Low riders seem to have disappeared altogether. Formal shorts are getting very rare. There are no neon or pastel coloured clothes. Though some of the clothes I've been seeing bore me---none of them appal me. I know! I can't believe it either.
Fortunately last night at the
opera I saw some shocking numbers. One girl was ...
Posted by Justine at 9:04, May 2nd, 2008 under Fashion |
As detailed in
my previous post I have learnt much on this trip, but one thing remains a mystery:
How do women get around in high heels on cobble stone streets without destroying their ankles?
Every European city we've visited has had much cobble-stoneage and yet almost all the women are in high heels. It is bewildering. I have gone over on my ankles wearing
the most comfortable and supportive of footwear. No harm was done because my beloved boots have non-ankle-spraining super powers. Yay boots!
I saw one woman get her heel stuck between stones. She came to a sudden and whip-lash looking halt, before bouncing about, trying to extricate herself. She was promptly rescued by a kind gentleman ...
Posted by Justine at 13:02, April 17th, 2008 under Fashion, Travelling |
Maureen,
BUY THE DRESS!!!
xox
Justine
PS You should all go to
her blog and tell her to buy it. She looked divine. Even more divine than
her new website.
Posted by Justine at 5:17, March 28th, 2008 under Bloggery, Fashion, Frippery |
Posted by Justine at 10:48, March 16th, 2008 under Fashion, Vainglory |
Posted by Justine at 8:47, February 29th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Fashion, Research |
Cause Anne Hathaway has on the WORST dress ever.
I promise I will stop being shallow some time in the future.
Posted by Justine at 20:53, February 24th, 2008 under Fashion, Viewing |
Is like this: I have always wanted cowboy boots ever since I saw my first pair on the feet of indigenous stockmen in the Northern Territory of Australia. Those boots were beaten up and weathered like you wouldn't believe and I'd never seen such cool boots in my entire life. Want!
They were plain though. My fancy western boot lust didn't develop until I saw my first rodeo. It wasn't any of the performers who were wearing them but two women in the audience had on full cowgirl regalia and shiny, shiny boots. I am magpie. Shiny fills my heart with lust.
Over the years, I have tried on many pairs of fancy western boots and they have never been quite ...
Posted by Justine at 13:05, February 23rd, 2008 under Fashion, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Is noice boots. (Bad photo, but noice boots.)
Posted by Justine at 14:00, February 22nd, 2008 under Fashion |
Some are saying that the poll is rigged because I'm only showing pictures of dresses. So in the interests of fairness here are what the other
High Voltage ConFusion clothing options look like:
The mighty zoot suit
Who can not love it's exaggerated shoulders? The lurid colours? The delicious saxophone wail that you are sure to hear everywhere you go?
I will admit that this is not the best example of the zoot, but I am trying to get books written, you know! I have a vivid memory of Kid Creole (of Kid Creole & the Coconuts fame) attired in a lime green and black one. Exquisite!
The purple jump suit
Because what other colour could a jump suit ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, January 13th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Fashion |
The voting says I should definitely get a new dress. Take that, Scott!
The first dress is
here. But how about this one:
Marc Audibet for Vionnet
Or maybe this (look! black gloves!):
John Galliano for Christian Dior
Thinking about dresses is
something else that's much much easier than writing . . .
Posted by Justine at 10:49, January 12th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Fashion |
Next weekend Scott Westerfeld and yours truly will be guests of honour at the
2008 High Voltage ConFusion science fiction convention. It's our very first time being guests of honour and we are stoked. TOTALLY stoked. In fact I'm so very stoked I'm thinking of celebrating with the purchase of a new dress. Surely, being guest of honour requires new clothes, right? I gotta look pretty, don't I? If you have an opinion on this Very Important Matter please to express it in the poll to your right.
I'm thinking this one, though with black gloves not white:
Vivienne Westwood's Watteau ball gown
Here's Scott and mine's schedule. Because we are joint guests of honour we are doing everything together:
FRIDAY 18 ...
Posted by Justine at 12:26, January 11th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Fashion, Travelling |
I cannot tell you how bizarre and funny I find this:
The picture does not capture how insanely long the queue was. As I walked past I was wondering what rare and amazing thing they were lining up for. Concert tickets? The best chocolate in the world? Gold statues of quokkas?
Nope. They was in line for ugg boots. Ugg boots! Who in their right mind would queue up to buy Ugg boots?
I shake my head in disbelief.
Posted by Justine at 19:36, December 22nd, 2007 under Fashion, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
I've been thinking about
do-rags of late. Until I came to the US of A I'd never even heard the term before. I'm not even sure what I used to call them anymore.
Anyways what I've been thinking is how come when some people put on a do-rag they look like a gangsta, or a pirate, or a gangsta pirate, or just cool? Yes, I'm looking at you, Holly Black! And when other people put them on they look like a peasant or a cleaning lady?
I fall into the latter category, which I've decided is fitting as I'm definitely from peasant stock on both sides of the family, and I once worked as a cleaning lady. Twas one of my ...
Posted by Justine at 11:08, November 12th, 2007 under Fashion, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 15:10, October 11th, 2007 under Bloggery, Fashion, New York City/USA, Praising, Travelling |
Kadie-Wa needs to know the answer to
this question:
I’m still wondering about gathering the extra part of your shirt up at your side. would that look good, or weird? i mean, when you take your shirt, and pull it over to your side and pull if off with a rubber band/pony tail. okay, or not? thax!
Personally, I think it's a DREADFUL idea, but I am deeply conservative about clothing that reeks in any way of the 1980s. I did it as a teen and it was not pretty.
What do the rest of you think?
Maybe,
Cecil Castellucci, who actually thinks footless tights are a good idea (!) is down with it?
Posted by Justine at 10:17, October 7th, 2007 under Bloggery, Fashion |
To the person who got to my site by googling "is it bad to wear a long t-shirt with footless tights":
Yes! It is very very very bad indeed. Burn those footless tights immediately. And long T-shirts should only be worn to bed. Not out on the streets! What were you thinking?
Posted by Justine at 12:52, October 4th, 2007 under Fashion, Search Terms |
I am a jacket monkey which totally works for me as those are two of my favourite things. I love beautiful jackets and I love monkeys. What could be better than putting them together? (If I weren't pressed for time there would a picture of a monkey wearing a jacket here. You'll just have to imagine it.)
Today me and Nicola from
Nicola's books in Ann Arbor opened many many copies of Extras to the signing page for Scott to scribble all over. We were his jacket monkeys. I want a Jacket Monkey t-shirt. I've already earned it. So many copies! So many jackets! So many pages!
In other news I am regretting that I learned on an earlier trip never ...
Posted by Justine at 1:20, September 29th, 2007 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Fashion, Frippery |
And Theo Black is some peace keeper person from Farscape. He tried to get me to teach him an Australian accent. But, ya know, you're either born with one or you're not.
As usual Scott Westerfeld took the photo.
Posted by Justine at 1:16, September 1st, 2007 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Fashion, Frippery |
If you were to ask I would tell you that I am not a fan of leggings. I think they look pretty revolting under skirts, capris, long jumpers (that's sweaters to you Usians) or whatever you choose to pair them with. They're ugly and enhance nothing.
Of course, I'd change my tune in a heartbeat if by leggings you meant these incredible Balenciaga robot-leg creations. Leggings like these I can embrace. Or, you know, wear. Is that totally
Metropolis or what?
Unfortunately, the fabulous
Lauren McLaughlin who told me about these beauties says they cost about the same as a house, or at least, a very expensive car. Le sigh. Have to wait for the cheaper knock offs ...
Posted by Justine at 18:42, March 15th, 2007 under Fashion, Praising |
Posted by Justine at 18:04, January 25th, 2007 under Bloggery, Cons & Other Gatherings, Cricket, Excuses, Fashion, Young Adult literature |
My friend Tempest is running into some trouble for
dissing the wearing of ill-fitting corsets. People are rightly saying that they can wear whatever they bloody well please. And Tempest is rightly saying that she can rant about whatever she bloody well pleases.
While it's incredibly rude to lecture people to their faces ((Yes, even if you're their parent. Especially if you're their parent!)) about the inappropriateness or ill-fittedness or ugliness or general appallingness of what they're wearing, it is perfectly fine to hold forth about it on your blog, or with your friends, as long as you're not naming anyone (unless they're famous ((Which is why we have the joys of
gofugyourself.))), or posting photos (again doesn't apply ...
Posted by Justine at 0:02, December 13th, 2006 under Fashion |
I have shoe issues. Or rather recalcitrant ankle issues. High heels are forbidden me. It's not like I ever wore high heels that much, but that's not the point! I have been condemned to a life of boring, not-fun shoes in the hopes of preventing further ankle injury and thus averting surgery. I know, I know. It's all too tedious for words. And makes shoe shopping a chore where I look at all the flats and low-heeled boots and my heart sinks. Gah! I hates them all.
Unfortunately, I cannot get about in sneakers, blunnies or kleenex boxes all the time on account of the increasing number of appearances and other formalish events I do. These require that ...
Posted by Justine at 10:01, October 8th, 2006 under Fashion, Praising |
You are correct that I have not been blogging much or responding to comments like I usually do or even responding to email a whole lot.
The reason is that I'm on a deadline (yes, the same one, yes, it was moved again, yes I really have to meet this one) and am working my arse off. (Oh, how I miss my arse!)
In the meantime I think you lot should entertain me. Here are some questions:
Does anyone have any recs for best brunch place in NYC?
Who's going to be the first Australian to win the Tour de France (no, it doesn't have to be this year)?
What's the best book you've read lately?
I just read
Out by Natuso Kirino. Loved it. ...
Posted by Justine at 11:18, July 16th, 2006 under Basketball, Bloggery, Excuses, Fashion, Food, Frippery, Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, Praising, Reading, Sport, Tour de France |
I will never understand all the Melbournites who despise Sydney, some of them folks who've never even been here. Seriously, I've met Melbournites who sneer with disdain at the mere thought of stepping foot in Sydney. The horror they say!
Me, I'm from Sydney. I love it, but I also have a whole lot of time for Melbourne. Melbourne has better licensing laws and thus
better bars than Sydney, a better art and live music scene, and (mostly) better clothes shopping. Melbourne has
trams. And what is not to love about trams? But Melbourne has little of Sydney's
breath-taking physical beauty, doesn't have her
beaches, or
national parks, or
fairies, er, I mean
ferries, ...
Posted by Justine at 10:27, February 5th, 2006 under Cricket, Fashion, Food, Liquids, New York City/USA, Ranting, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
1. Why the exact same brand toothpaste has radically different packaging in different countries.
2. Why everyone thinks King Kong is the best movie ever.
3. Why no one told me that Lost is excellent genre TV.
4. Why whenever you buy chips in an Oz pub they always come served in a plastic fake-wood bowl.
5. Why cricket isn't the dominant sport in every country in the world.
6. How anyone could wear gold sandals and not be ironic.
Posted by Justine at 21:33, December 23rd, 2005 under Bloggery, Cricket, Fashion, Frippery, Sport, State of the World |
All this talk of fashion and clothes and why some of us love 'em compelled me to head to Lisa Stack's shop, Helix (conveniently located in Surry Hills where me and Scott now live). The shop is on Bourke St in what once would have been a corner shop dispensing lollies and milk and newspapers. Now it is filled with gorgeous dresses, skirts, trousers, tops in the most fabulous colours, with luscious prints. No vile pastels or lollipop colours, none of the hippy dippy crap that's filling most of the shops hereabouts. I wound up buying two of Lisa's tops and a pair of her silk japanese fisherman's pants (so very very comfortable---I don't think I'll ever take them off ...
Posted by Justine at 21:49, December 9th, 2005 under Fashion, Praising, State of the World |
Lauren McLaughlin in praise of fashion. Sing it, Lauren!
Regarding fashion being shallow. This is a prejudice I find maddeningly overrepresented in the spec fic community. Fashion is an art form and the wearing of fashion is something everyone does every day (unless you're a nudist). Even people who think they don't care about fashion make choices about what they wear. Fashionistas (a term often used derogatorily) are merely people who take pleasure in the clothing choices that others skim over, much as foodies take a greater interest in what they eat.
This reminds me of a friend of mine being (verbally) attacked by an earnest young man (e.y.m.) at a party. She was (and is) gorgeous and has always enjoyed ...
Posted by Justine at 13:11, December 7th, 2005 under Bloggery, Fashion, Praising, Ranting, State of the World |
