Casual foxy

Casual foxy by amoronia featuring a purple nail polish

Nike Victorious

Nike Victorious by amoronia featuring a hard case clutch

School Rebels

School Rebels by amoronia featuring skinny leg jeans

Lessons In Style: Empty Or Not?

I believe it was Yves Saint Laurent who said that 'Fashions fade, style is eternal'. Yet, how often do we really think about style when we go shopping for the latest fashions in clothes? Why do we read about fashion trends with such a zest, as if our lives depended on them? Why are we desperately looking to master the art of wearing our outfits and accessories 'the right way'? More importantly, why do we feel naked in clothes that don't match our style? I was listening to Cyndi Lauper's version of If You Go Away, reading fashion blogs in the meantime, when I suddenly froze at one dreadful thought: We let fashions dictate style to us more often than we like to acknowledge.

What if we were to look at the real us? What if we were to strip ourselves naked and see how much we let material things, like clothes and accessories, define who we are? To make it less painful, what if we were to look at nude mannequins? Not real models, but dummies. If we can't be brave enough to see ourselves for what we are, flawed and all, why not look at objects? They were made to be perfect, right? Do you ever notice the mannequins, when you look at those huge shop windows? Do you sometimes relate to the lifeless models? Could you imagine them without wearing your favorite clothes? How would that make you feel?

Secret Society No14

Anytime Anywhere

 
Underground No3

Secret Society No6

Secret Society No16

Backstage

These mannequins, though objects, appear like they have a life of their own. Far from looking perfect, they don't seem to care much about what we think of them, and they certainly don't need clothes to make us realize that they have their own personality, independent of clothes and accessories. What I love about these photos is how strongly they contrast with images of real women who simply like to copy what they see in magazines. Sometimes we, real women, forget we actually have life in us, and look more like lifeless clones of mannequins, which I think is tragic. Forgive me if I just remembered more Yves Saint Laurent quotes, but they illustrate my point perfectly: 'It pains me physically to see a woman victimized, rendered pathetic, by fashion', 'Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress, is the woman who is wearing it'. After all (and you can be certain this is my personal favorite fashion quote), 'Isn't elegance forgetting what one is wearing?' You have got to love Yves!

Next time we crave for that dreamy accessory or reach out for those divine shoes, we'd better pause for a minute and ask ourselves the hard question: Are they good enough for us? Do we have the attitude necessary to wear them? Do we intend to wear them, rather than let them wear us, devour us, make us mere shadows of their shadows...?

If you go away
On this summer day
Then you might as well
Take the sun away
All the birds that flew
In the summer sky
When our love was new
And our hearts were high
When the day was young
And the night was long
And the moon stood still
For the night bird's song

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away

If you go away...

But if you stay
I'll make you a day
Like no day has been
Or will be again
We'll sail on the sun
We'll ride on the rain
And talk to the trees
And worship the wind

But if you go
I'll understand
Leave me just enough love
To hold in my hand

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away

If you go away...

If you go away
As I know you will
You must tell the world
To stop turning
'til you return to me
If you ever do
For what good is love
Without loving you?
I can tell you now
As you turn to go
I'll be dying slow
'til the next hello

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away

If you go away...

But if you stay
I'll make you a night
Like no night has been
Or will be again
I'll sail on your smile
I'll ride on your touch
I'll talk to your eyes
That I love so much

But if you go
I'll understand
Leave me just enough love
To hold in my hand

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away

If you go away...

If you go away
Like I know you must
There'll be nothing left
In the world to trust
Just an empty room
Full of empty space
Like the empty look
I see on your face
And I'd been the shadow
Of your shadow
If I thought it might have kept me
By your side

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away

If you go away...

Many thanks to Eleanor, a truly great artist whose incredible work can be interpreted in so many ways, for allowing me to post images of her work in my blog. Please read her interview in the POE blog, here.

If You Go Away: Song in English, based upon the French song Ne Me Quitte Pas, written by Jacques Brel.

Never on Sunday Style

Never on Sunday is a 1960 Greek black-and-white film which tells the story of Ilya, a prostitute who lives in the port of Piraeus in Greece, and Homer, an American tourist who happens to be a classical scholar, enthused with all things Greek. While Ilya is a character close to the "hooker with a heart of gold" cliché, Homer feels Ilya's life style typifies the degradation of Greek classical culture and attempts to steer her onto the path of morality. The screenplay constitutes a variation of the Pygmalion story.

The film stars Melina Mercouri and Jules Dassin, and it gently submerges the viewer into Greek culture, including dance, music, and language (through the use of subtitles). The signature song and the bouzouki theme of the movie became hits of 1960s and brought Manos Hadjidakis, the composer, an Academy Award. It should also be noted that apart from winning the Academy Award for Best Song, the film was also nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Melina Mercouri), Best Costume Design, Black-and-White, Best Director (Jules Dassin) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen (Dassin). Mercouri won the award for Best Actress at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival.

Life Magazine Dec 2 1966 by Owlshop

grab a fish by psarokokalo

Giant Bow Head Band, by TheLibertarian

Retro Inspired Sailor Dress, by jenniferedwrds

1978 Greece - cut coin pendant - w/ Aristotle, Greek Philosopher, student of Plato, teacher to Alexander the Great. By petsalad.

Vintage Pink Roses Circle Skirt, by missfarfalla

Vintage 50's Era Pewter Comedy Tragedy Mask Hammered Link Bracelet - Theater - 1072, by Karmalings

Melina - Vintage Yellow and Gold Necklace, by 99vintage

vintage design TWO SAILORS WITH A GUITAR women's t-shirt SZ S,M,L,XL by ToTheMoonAndBack

Vintage 1960s Handbag by LittleMe123

Sunny Necklace Yellow Chalcedony Briolette on oxidized Sterling silver chain, by antigoni

knitted SAILOR KNOT vintage 1980's NAUTICAL striped TOP off the shoulder, by sparkleyes

Waist Belt in White Floral - READY TO SHIP, by Sannica

Greek Roman Grecian Gladiator leather sandals, by AnaniasSandals

TALL NUDE - white Ltd. ed. 75, by ElkeHutchens

Female Figurative Print - Swim by MichelleGArt

If you come across this film, don't miss the opportunity to watch it, it really is a classic. Enjoy!

Goodbye Lena

I don't know about you, but Lena Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was my absolute, most favorite icon. Words are only too poor to describe the size of that woman, whom I deeply admired and loved... Known for her involvement in many social and political organizations, with an unsurpassed class, talent and beauty, in the perfect and complete sense of the word, she didn't fit into stereotypes and inspired countless people with her life and example.




Vintage Style One Shoulder Hawaiian Barkcloth Dress - yourfairygodfather




Latex Mermaid Skirt - ZxLatex




Innocent Rose - 7artjewelry




Reclaimed metal Nascent single stacking bracelet - TiffanyKunz




Stormy Weather Filigree Necklace - InSmallSpectacles




In sympathy - greeting card, ArtMind




Inspiration - Original Fine Art Photograph Print - lenabrowndesigns


Ms. Horne: I know it's strange, but... I even cried a little when I heard you passed away. I know you will be singing with the angels up above, but still... I will miss you, Lady Lena. You will always be you, and you will be like nobody else.