It’s come to my attention that Mr. George Knightley of Jane Austen’s Emma fame is now authoring his own advice blog, titled Letters to Mr. Knightley! With help from colleagues and friends, he’ll be dispensing his wit and wisdom on life and love to the denizens of Highbury, the Internet, and beyond. Here’s a man I’d trust with any problem!

The Uniform Project:

“Uniform Project was born in May 2009, when one girl pledged to wear a Little Black Dress for 365 days as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Designed to also be a fundraiser for the education of underprivileged children in India, the project acquired millions of visitors worldwide and raised over $100k for the cause.”

What an interesting exercise in creative accessorization! It’s also a reminder that it’s more socially responsible to buy quality goods (made under empowering circumstances) that will last a lifetime, instead of a ton of cheap crap that you’ll throw away in five seconds.

My dad sent me this amazing 1936 footage of a Pontiac car assembly plant, remarking that it reminded him of the machine scenes in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. And he’s right; there’s such precision on the part of the workers.

As his friend Bob (who initially forwarded the video) stated, every one of those guys knows exactly what he’s doing…

This is really awesome footage… A 1936 Pontiac assembly factory… Note,
automation was already in place, the workers lack any & all safety equipment, glasses & helmets: and they ALL know exactly what to do & it’s getting done.

Note also that when the body comes together with the chassis that it is in FULL trim! Interior, windshield, all glass etc., is already in place as it is dropped onto the awaiting rolling chassis. “AMAZING” Simplicity @ its best.

Note too, when the metal finishers are checking the sheet metal for minute & tiny flaws & defects, that they are wearing heavy leather work gloves. How would YOU like that repetitious job of placing ( 3 ) rivets in the ( 3 ) holes on the chassis for about 35 to 40 years?

Grace Dress action shot!

So I thought I’d share my new favorite dress, which I happen to be wearing right now for New Year’s Eve festivities! It’s the Grace Dress from Laura Byrnes Black Label/Pinup Girl Clothing. Yes, I buy and wear a lot of Pinup Girl Clothing items. No, they aren’t paying me to pimp out their stuff. I just love their clothes!

Anyway, Grace features a well-constructed fitted bodice, a superfull circle skirt, and a really sumptuous red sateen fabric textured with a midcentury black flocked pattern. This one’s size xl, and it fits just right! More images after the jump…

Grace Dress right out of the box!

1950s Jewelry!

I’m wearing it with my tea-length black crinoline from Malco Modes, trusty black suede/patent heels from Sofft, a black sequined sweater from Lane Bryant’s 2010 holiday collection, my 1950s-60s beaded Saks Fifth Avenue clutch, and some SWEET vintage jewelry! My 1950s rhinestone earclips are part of the vintage jewelry haul I inherited from my Great-Aunt Alice and my gorgeous midcentury rhinestone necklace is a Christmas gift from my mom.

Jewelry closeup...

Happy New Year!

So a few months ago I set out a list of blogging goals. Like many ENFP personality types, I tend to be very long on ideas and very short on attention span and time. To make matters worse, this past semester was one of my all-time busiest work periods, a frustrating reality further exacerbated by a bunch of extra life demands (some fun, like period balls, some not-so-fun, like expensive car repairs) that required time and money. My 2012 New Years’ resolution is to spend more time on my websites – particularly this blog, as it is both a way for me to reduce my rambling ideas into tangible goals AND an impetus for following through on those goals so I can share the results with you!

Happy New Year! Pinup Couture Evelyn dress in green satin.

I’m still plugging away on my to-do list from this past fall, and  I’m logging my goal progress to keep me honest! But before I bring you in on that, a goodwill gesture to prove that I’m working on it – an Outfit of the Week!

This is my Christmas Eve ensemble: Evelyn dress in green satin with reversible black velvet shrug from Pinup Couture, new Dian Von Furstenburg frames, homemade hairflower, and black suede-and-patent heels from Sofft Shoes.

Seriously, this dress is ace: rich satin sheen and Christmas green color, super-cute ruched bodice with adorable black velvet bow, and tremendous fit. When it comes to the Pinup Girl Clothing house brands, I usually hover around xl-2x; this one’s a 2x. There’s extra room in the waist (My inch measurements are 44-33.5-49), but it’s not baggy or ill-fitting. And the length is perfect for my 5’8″+ frame.

So if you’re plus or curvy or simply looking for a kick-butt, retro-style, made-in-the-USA clothing company, give Pinup Girl Clothing a shot!

Okay, now on to the rest of it. Click the link below to come out on the other side of the jump…

Here are my previous goals, with parenthetical progress reports:

• Post my seasonal fashion interests/shopping lists (four times a year) - (More like two or three times a year, as fall and winter blend so much here…)
• Give you at least one outfit-of-the-day per month, if not per week - (Still working on it!)
• Finish my fashion review of the 2009/2010 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma- (Eventually!)
• Complete a picture post featuring my vintage hanky collection, similar to my previous pieces on my beaded purses and antique jewelry- (Still working on it, AND I have more vintage jewelry to blog!)

Annnnd, I have some new fashion projects I want to share here on the blog:

• Photos of a Greco-Roman chiton I made back in October, which I created for my second performance of Lady Emma Hamilton’s “attitudes.”
• A late-1950s day ensemble, assembled from both vintage and reproduction pieces, for my Vertigo-themed costumers’ guild event at Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco.
• Some amazing midcentury jewelry I inherited from my great-aunt!
• And some gorgeous outfits I’ve put together along the way!

Alright, that’s it for now! Happy New Year and see you here again very soon!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Now that I’m almost done with my teaching semester, I can get back to the business of blogging. Kind of. I have some pretty outfits and new-old jewelry to show you. Stay tuned!

A Christmas Music Box” RETURNS FOR 2011, from STRANGEBEAT PRODUCTIONS!

StrangeBeat Productions presents “A CHRISTMAS MUSIC BOX,” yet another holiday tunes compilation just in time for Christmas! (originally released on December 1, 2010!)

NEW FOR 2011, We’ve compiled a full CD’s worth of NEW SELECTIONS for your Christmas listening, as well as a few minor touchups to some old favorites! Read on…

A Christmas Music Box 2011!

VOLUME 1: From Mannheim Steamroller to Elvis himselvis, these FOUR DISCS of Christmas tunes provide plenty of variety for your holiday parties, gatherings, and personal time.

JASON SEZ - For those of you who have “acquired” Christmas music from me in the past, much of this material will be familiar. Approximately 20 minutes of music have been added to round out these four volumes to full CD length, and the mp3s have been carefully retagged (and in some cases re-ripped) to match the quality of the next set we have for you!

• http://tinyurl.com/christmasvolume1
• Volume One also available for download HERE

Disc 1 – 22 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

Disc 2 – 23 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

Disc 3 – 24 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

Disc 4 – 22 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

VOLUME 2: Enjoy the many moods of the holidays with selections ranging from traditional instrumentals to jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. We’re giving you a whopping THREE DISCS worth of our favorite Christmas tracks PLUS the following:

KALI SEZ - Disc four is a bonus collection of vintage holiday recordings, as selected in 1970 by Jack “The Voice of Disneyland” Wagner for the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom “Main Street U.S.A.” Christmas music loops. These tracks can be randomized or played in order as they appear in situ at the parks!

• http://tinyurl.com/christmasvolume2
• Volume Two also available for download HERE

Disc 1 – 28 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

Disc 2 – 27 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

Disc 3 – 25 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (various bitrates)

New for 2011! All David Rose Christmas Album tracks have been re-ripped from the new 2011 CD remaster; PLUS, six tracks from the original record that were NOT selected by Disneyland for the Main Street USA loop are included as bonus tracks. Enjoy the complete David Rose Christmas Album alongside beautiful music straight from Disneyland and Walt Disney World!

Disc 4 – 30 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (128kbps)

NEWLY AVAILABLE FOR 2011!

Here’s 27 new holiday selections for your listening pleasure; choice cuts from 60+ years of incredible Christmas music, and even more perfect accompaniment for your holiday festivities!

• http://tinyurl.com/NEWchristmas2011
• NEW SELECTIONS FOR 2011 also available for download HERE

Also available:

Tracklisting and liner notes on selected tracks:

Three .txt files are included, each containing informative and (we hope!) entertaining liner notes.

Artwork:

Each folder contains a 720×720 .jpg file with the corresponding artwork for each disc.

• Compilation produced by KALI PAPPAS and JASON PITTMAN
• Art Direction by KALI PAPPAS
• Engineering by JASON PITTMAN
• Liner Notes by JASON PITTMAN and KALI PAPPAS

I’ve been feeling kinda mediocre lately, so it was nice to score two fairly successful outfits this weekend. Hell, last night I even wore makeup! That’s a big deal considering how acne and allergies have been conspiring against me over the past month.

Yesterday evening I wore my new Dixiefried “Cutiepie” dress with leopard trim. It was on sale, and the leopard print is both on-trend for this season and a fun little nod to oldschool Dior. I teamed it with my vintage carnelian jewelry, Claire’s hairflower, old Forever 21 cardigan, and nude BCBG pumps.

The dress is an “extended sizes” 3x, which means it fits like a straight-size 16-18.

Dixiefried "Cutiepie" Dress.

Today, I wore my new Heartbreaker gypsy skirt (1x) with a Torrid bow sweater and accessories you’ve seen before. It’s in the very same “Dandy” print fabric as the Aimee dress I posted previously, also from Heartbreaker. Oh, and something new! A Rachel Leigh bow bracelet in rose gold tone from Ann Taylor Loft. It’s cute, and a portion of the proceeds go to breast cancer research…

Heartbreaker Gypsy Skirt.

Rachel Leigh Bow Bracelet.

This photo’s from a couple of weeks ago, but it features the outfit I wore to work yesterday. It’s the Heartbreaker Fashion “Aimee” dress in their “Dandy” print. The fabric features a perky dandelion-gone-to-seed motif on an attractive dusty coral rose background, perfect for our warm California autumns. The dress design itself sports classic 1940s elements, including a sweetheart neckline and a retro A-line skirt. A matching slide belt, my homemade Michael’s hairflower, BCBGeneration patent and suede wedges, and antique cameo polish off the look.

Heartbreaker "Aimee" in Dandy print.

"This is Haunted Halloween" collection CD art...

- A festive two hour collection of holiday tunes, originally debuting on October 1, 2010! -

Disc One is packed with a selection of macabre party hits, from a new extended mix of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” to Sheb Wooley’s campy “The Purple People Eater.” Disc Two follows with pieces reflecting the darker side of Halloween. Here, spooky film themes, ghoulish classical favorites, and other grisly tunes mix it up with creepy sound effects perfect for a stormy night.

Produced by Jason Pittman and Kali Pappas, this collection offers new presentations of old classics alongside several fun surprises. But beware — this is not your average Halloween mix tape. Listen and share! If you dare…

NEWLY AVAILABLE FOR 2011!

Enjoy 40+ minutes of freaky tunes and scary sounds. Comprised from a variety of sources, this mix is perfect for your Halloween party needs, or even just scaring the local trick-or-treaters!

Available for download NOW:

Audio files:

- 2011 “Skerrymix,” a longrunning single audio file filled with frightening ambiance and creepy musical sounds. A perfect haunt, trick or treat, or party loop! See if you can spot our favorite macabre influences from film, music, and more!

- Disc 1 – 17 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (128kbps LAME MP3)

- Disc 2 – 14 .mp3 files, tagged and labeled. (128kbps LAME MP3)

Expanded notes on the collection and the various tracks:

– Liner Notes.pdf

- Liner Notes.rtf (text only)

LINKS:

http://tinyurl.com/2011SKERRYMIX

http://tinyurl.com/NOTES2011

http://tinyurl.com/hauntedhalloween

http://bit.ly/hauntedhalloween

Mirror:

http://tinyurl.com/strangebeat

http://bit.ly/strangebeat