Mission Impossible: Deco the Halls
I am not a good blogger. You can tell because I haven't written anything about the unveiling of The Language of Birds or hosting Thanksgiving for nineteen people or the clear-beverage-themed housewarming party or chasing my cat around the Bunker in my underwear, wielding a syringe full of pureed cat food. To summarize: Brian Goggin is still a talented bastard, Ada is very nearly recovered, roasted chestnuts are delicious, and I can do a surprising number of pull-ups while drunk.
I spent the weekend ricocheting between holiday sales events that seemed determined to take all of my money. In this corner (14th and Mission) is the Mission Bazaar, comprised of equal parts fake-fleece-and-serger hippie crap, hair pieces made of flowers and/or feathers that I can really make myself, and perilously expensive beautifully-made leather goods. If I had known that all I needed to do to make money at a crafts fair was buy out the contents of Fantastico, add glitter and feathers, and hot glue it all onto a hair clip, I could have been rich by now. I might almost be rich enough to afford a leather jacket from Heathen. Heathen's designers have heart-breaking attention to detail. Hand made buttons! Hand-screened silk linings on the leather jackets! Clever little custom-made finishes, like the zipper pull in the shape of a tongue! More than anyone, Spencer Hansen deserves my money. Fortunately, I did not find anything in his booth that fit me quite as well as I would have liked. Another booth had an under-the-bust vest with fabulous lacing in the back and buckles across the front by Indra (I think it said Indra on the label) for $250, but the price-to-desirability ratio was simply too high for me. I did not buy adorable little felted things from Nifer, nor did buy a squid necklace from Tammy Stellanova, or jewelry made from woven wire and tiny little bits of block and tackle. Effie's Heart did not tempt me at all, as they seem to have stopped making comfortable cotton jersey clothing in 1920's-inspired cuts and moved on to making comfortable cotton jersey clothing that is unremarkable in every way. Someone tried to sell me a kuchi bracelet for $150. I walked away from the Bazaar with a hooded sweatshirt for J, decorated with a couple of rats with wings.
In this corner (8th and Brannon) we have Deco the Halls, the December edition of the Art Deco and Modernism Show. My last few trips to the deco show have been rather disappointing, but the economic downturn has left purveyors of vintage goods in a mood to bargain. I purchased two pairs of opera-length gloves, one in silk and the other in kid skin, for almost no money at all, and a black cotton 1970's Mexican wedding dress. The dress is a bit of a project - I will have to take it in a great deal before it fits me - but when I am done, I will wear it with an enormous Edwardian hat and look like something out of a Day of the Dead procession. It is important that I wear many large Edwardian hats in the near future. How else am I to impersonate Cleo de Merode? I may also need enormous leg-o-mutton sleeves. I am on the cutting edge of fashion, people - take note: next season, giant sleeves for everybody!
Next week, Five and Diamond will have a trunk show and sale of one-of-a-kind items at their warehouse. If I am lucky, it will all be ugly, uninspired, and poorly-fitting. If I am unlucky, it will all be perfect for me and I will weep bitter, bitter tears.
I spent the weekend ricocheting between holiday sales events that seemed determined to take all of my money. In this corner (14th and Mission) is the Mission Bazaar, comprised of equal parts fake-fleece-and-serger hippie crap, hair pieces made of flowers and/or feathers that I can really make myself, and perilously expensive beautifully-made leather goods. If I had known that all I needed to do to make money at a crafts fair was buy out the contents of Fantastico, add glitter and feathers, and hot glue it all onto a hair clip, I could have been rich by now. I might almost be rich enough to afford a leather jacket from Heathen. Heathen's designers have heart-breaking attention to detail. Hand made buttons! Hand-screened silk linings on the leather jackets! Clever little custom-made finishes, like the zipper pull in the shape of a tongue! More than anyone, Spencer Hansen deserves my money. Fortunately, I did not find anything in his booth that fit me quite as well as I would have liked. Another booth had an under-the-bust vest with fabulous lacing in the back and buckles across the front by Indra (I think it said Indra on the label) for $250, but the price-to-desirability ratio was simply too high for me. I did not buy adorable little felted things from Nifer, nor did buy a squid necklace from Tammy Stellanova, or jewelry made from woven wire and tiny little bits of block and tackle. Effie's Heart did not tempt me at all, as they seem to have stopped making comfortable cotton jersey clothing in 1920's-inspired cuts and moved on to making comfortable cotton jersey clothing that is unremarkable in every way. Someone tried to sell me a kuchi bracelet for $150. I walked away from the Bazaar with a hooded sweatshirt for J, decorated with a couple of rats with wings.
In this corner (8th and Brannon) we have Deco the Halls, the December edition of the Art Deco and Modernism Show. My last few trips to the deco show have been rather disappointing, but the economic downturn has left purveyors of vintage goods in a mood to bargain. I purchased two pairs of opera-length gloves, one in silk and the other in kid skin, for almost no money at all, and a black cotton 1970's Mexican wedding dress. The dress is a bit of a project - I will have to take it in a great deal before it fits me - but when I am done, I will wear it with an enormous Edwardian hat and look like something out of a Day of the Dead procession. It is important that I wear many large Edwardian hats in the near future. How else am I to impersonate Cleo de Merode? I may also need enormous leg-o-mutton sleeves. I am on the cutting edge of fashion, people - take note: next season, giant sleeves for everybody!
Next week, Five and Diamond will have a trunk show and sale of one-of-a-kind items at their warehouse. If I am lucky, it will all be ugly, uninspired, and poorly-fitting. If I am unlucky, it will all be perfect for me and I will weep bitter, bitter tears.