My recent musings on 1980s painted denim jackets drew the attention of my high-school classmate, Karen D. Karen told me she still had her painted Jim Morrison/Doors jacket and, within moments, sent me a photo. I could hardly believe my eyes! It looks brand new. Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors, died in…
Fashion
What Wendy Wore: Modernizing Psychedelia
A few years ago, while I was browsing eBay or Etsy, I decided that I desperately needed more psychedelic clothes. I was not on acid at the time, so I don’t know why this happened. I wound up buying a strange-looking top with scalloped edges that I wore once or twice with jeans. I thought it…
WWD Updates the Rihanna v. Topshop Story
Today’s WWD has an update on last week’s reports that Rihanna is suing a Topshop supplier for using her image on a t-shirt without permission. Topshop and Rihanna’s lawyers declined to comment, as did River Island, the Topshop competitor with whom Rihanna is officially collaborating. The article does say that even though the U.K. has…
Forever 21 and Topshop Are Amusing
Fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 has been widely accused of selling knockoffs of other designers’ work and blaming its suppliers for the copying. In a 2011 Bloomberg Businessweek story called “Forever 21’s Fast (and Loose) Fashion Empire,” Susan Berfield wrote: “Starting in about 2004, the Changs decided to create different brands to appeal to slightly more…
Throwback Thursday: 1980s Denim Jacket
Even though I have fond memories of the 1980s fad for painted denim jackets, I never owned one myself, to the best of my recollection. I don’t know why. Maybe I couldn’t decide which band I wanted painted on the back? I was equally devoted to the Beatles and Duran Duran. I did have a…
What Wendy Wore: Lady Pink Jacket at the Rihanna Concert
I went to see Rihanna at Barclays Center on May 5 and took one of my best-ever concert photos! When Bad Gal RiRi first came out in this costume, it took me a moment to realize what the print was. Then I thought, “Bitch stole my style again!” First, she ran off with a leopard…
Jewelry Can Make You Strong, Part II
I met gorgeous blogger Mardel of Resting Motion in 2011, when a group of bloggers gathered for drinks during Fashion Week. If she didn’t have to leave a little early that night, I might have never have gotten around to talking to anyone else. Mardel and I just happened to sit next to each other…
Beyoncé, Kerli, Inspiration and Imitation
I first saw the singer Kerli at Lollapalooza in 2011, and I was very taken by her sound and her alien/anime/Lolita look. I downloaded her music that night and I’ve kept an eye on her ever since so I was very interested when, this Monday, she posted two photos on Facebook. One was Beyoncé striking…
I’m Not Worthy!
There was a 21st-anniversary reunion of the Wayne’s World cast last week. Reading about it, I realized that not only did the people involved in that movie have great taste in music — they had great taste in jewelry too. Check out this picture of Lara Flynn Boyle wearing a “WAYNE” necklace that’s exactly the…
Recommended Reading, Copy of the Day, Week in Review
There was some enlightening reading in the New York Times this weekend. If you missed it, check out the cover story of the New York Times Magazine: “Our Feel-Good War on Breast Cancer,” by Peggy Orenstein, about how “awareness” (including mammograms and all kinds of pink shit sold in October) hasn’t decreased breast-cancer deaths. I’ve…