Granny Hipster

I wish I could make a living by selling things that I make.

It's getting really cold and I'm starting a few knitting projects. Hopefully if they're good enough they'll make it onto Etsy.

Most people complain about the cold during these months but I think it's nice. Because I get to do things like sit on my ass all day with my cats and my knitting, watching shows on Netflix.

Sunday Outfit Photo Dump (#2)

It's outfit dump time. This past week has been hard to dress for due to the unrelenting rain we've been having in Vancouver. I managed to pull some decent outfits together with the versatility of grandpa pants and vintage booties. 

Of course layering is also a must if you live in Canada. That and thermal socks.

The light sweaters are slowly making their out of my daily wardrobe as the coldness encourages the use of more hefty knitwear. Next week, I'll be all draped in oversized sweaters and chunky wools. Can't wait.

Head Case

I don't have cable, so I don't watch T.V.. This isn't a decision that I made out of the sheer necessity to be "anti mainstream media" or anything. It's just that I'm extremely poor. I actually don't mind T.V., I learn a great deal from it. Some of the best shows are on T.V. (Frasier being one of them) and I think a few hours a week doesn't undermine one's creativity or ability to think critically as much as your professor says.

What I don't like about T.V. is that most of the shows, especially the ones that air during the day time are complete shit. Sure, game shows are sometimes fun to watch if it's somewhat engaging like "Jeopardy" or "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" because it's fun to measure your intelligence against those participating on the show. However, what's horrible about these shows is how fucking excited people are about the prospect of winning any sum of money. Seriously, the next time you watch any of these game shows where money is the incentive (which it often is), everybody seems to shit oneself when the contestant passes a question and is that much closer towards the grand prize.

Fundamentally, there's nothing seemingly wrong with this behaviour. In fact, it's perfectly normal, natural even. Being rich is desirable. However, my discomfort lies within the fact that "richness" seems to imply "happiness". The contestants on these game show project  what seem like genuine joy at the thought of receiving a large fortune. It really plays up the importance of money and how it seems to imply that it'll make your life better.  That to me is just so fucking..."bourgeois"

Back in Action

I used to be in two bands. One of them dissolved due to conflict of interest and I quit the other so in the end I was left with no bands. For the past several months,  music and I were not on the best of terms. 

Today was my first band practice in more than six months and it went swimmingly. I am very pleased and exciting to be playing again. I sincerely feel like this time is it; fame and fortune all the fucking way!

Movies

I work with kids. Kids sometimes ask questions that catch you off guard. This is what one of the kids at my work asked me today about my outfit. I gotta say, the conversation really had me thinking about what fashion means to me.

L: "Hey Xu, why is your shirt tucked into your pants?"

X: "Ummm...why is your shirt not tucked into your pants?"

L: " (Laughs) Seriously,  I'm just curious about your style."

X: "Well, it's the vintage look...styles that were popular in the past."

L: "Oh. But why do you want to dress like people in the past?"

X: "I guess it's kind of like commemorating them. Do you know who Coco Channel is?"

L: "I've heard of that name."

X: "She was a fashion designer that kind of revolutionized the way women dress. She sort of popularized pants and suits for women because that's what she liked to wear herself."

L: "So you want to be like Coco Chanel?"

X: "In a way, yeah. I want to be inspired and she inspires me to dress how I want to."

L: "I think I understand now."

Losing Mental Fecal Matter

I saw a movie recently called Mysterious Skin. It is by far the most intensely explicit and hard to watch films I had ever encountered (yes, it was even worst than Requiem for a Dream). The movie, I thought was a realistic and harsh portrayal of the ever cringe-inducing subject matter of child sexual abuse which a lot people just wouldn't touch with a thirty-foot pole. But what makes this film successful was far beyond it having an alluring cast and compelling storyline. For little details such the setting and the atmosphere really make the viewers relate to the story and empathize with the characters' afflictions. And the most poignant element which really made this movie what it is, is the music. The soundtrack to this movie is primarily composed of songs by shoegaze bands from the 90's. As a total nut of everything 90's and even a bigger nut for shoegaze/noise rock, I natural lost my shit when I heard songs from bands like Slowdive and Curve and Cocteau Twins.


"Golden Hair" --- Slowdive.

Currently my favorite song.

Nope, not askin' for directions.

I've been feeling pretty inspired lately due to the fact that I pretty much have been staying at home and sewing and playing music. As suffocating as it can be at times, being housebound isn't all bad when you dedicate your time to your favorite hobbies. And for me, it's making dresses and playing around with all of my quirky instruments I've recently added a pair of spoons to my collection and have been annoying the hell out of everyone with them). Having discovered the silver lining of my joblessness I'm starting to feel somewhat lucky for the fact that I have all the time in the world to do the things I love. And this blessing in disguise may have just presented itself as a new possibly for I have been contemplating about going into fashion design. Of course, I wouldn't just rashly commit to something as big as a career change. Because ever since high school, I thought my true calling was in psychiatry. However, I slowly discovered that I'm really not cut out for the grueling process of graduate school and medical school. So I guess what the moral of the story is that I can never really know or prepare for what's to come. Who know, maybe it's time for something different...completely different?

These thrifted Banana Republic pants are so incredibly comfortable. They used to have flare bottoms and fitted a little awkwardly due to the disproportionate length. But after I altered them into slim trousers, they're much more flattering and stylish.

I've been working with and wearing lace a lot just because it is the the single best material since cotton and this AA raglan is the best of the both worlds.