Feininger Basket Weave

"Why do you never smile? Because it hurts my lips" -George Harrison in A Hard Day's Night
I'll work on smiling and looking less terrified, I promise.

The boxes are packed, and the fridge is almost empty. I'm moving this Sunday or a bit earlier, I don't even know yet. July 1st is the main moving day in Montréal, and everyone's waiting on the whole town to get a confirmation as to when they're moving--I'm unfortunately part of this circle this year, but the stress will be over soon.

I've been wanting to show you this dress for a while, but never got around taking photos of it until last month. Beside its general shape and fantastic basket-weave pattern, what I really like about it is its obvious history. I managed to authentify its age with the help of the Vintage Fashion Guild's label directory; it's most likely from the late 40s or early 50s. However, it has been hemmed shorter at a later date, most likely (or rather, I like to think!) in the mid to late 60s. I also like to think it was a hand-me-down from a mother to her daughter, who modified it for it to be 'au goût du jour' in her time. As for myself, I found it at my favourite charity shop, where it was mistakently placed in the children's section.

I also need to tell you about the shoes! I bought them to replace a really old pair that was full of holes but that I still sheepishly wear once in a while. I was initially drawn to the first pair because it was "something The Horrors (at the time of their first album) would wear (!!!!!)" (exclamation marks because I was 17 and a big fan and very excited). The replacement pair most certainly had to fill these requirements. I found them barely worn on etsy, they're very comfortable, and their quality is excellent.


Impossible to find without the watermark, from here. In person, it is particularly hypnotising. I had to run back to have a last look at it before the gallery closed.

It's been raining off and on for the past few days, and I have started wearing the pictured sweater out again. I wore the above outfit to one of the last days of the Lyonel Feininger exhibit at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, back in May. While Feininger was known for his comic strip work, his Gothic/medieval inspired paintings as well as his architectural cubism, his works that struck me the most were the wooden toy village he made for his sons, and a study in transparence of varicoloured pieces of glass, pictured above. He was also in charge of the graphic arts department at the Bauhaus, and I managed to view a part of the BBC documentary on the matter at the gallery--if you know any place where it would be available in full online, please let me know! 

42C, really?

Where I'd rather be

What I'd rather do

For good measure

Photo taken back when my little friend Oulipo (and I!) could still find cool spots around the house. And yes, we usually wear coordinated outfits.

Well guys, it's amazingly hot here. With all factors considered, it apparently 'feels' like 42 Celsius. I had planned to finally do an outfit post, had uploaded my month-old photos before going out of town for a bit last week, but now I just can't bear to appear here wearing tights (!) and a sweater (!). If a rainy day comes though, they might eventually make an appearance.
I took out the 1970s bikini (a hand-me-down from my mother) I have been wearing for the past 5 years only to see its elastics had dried out, cracked, and stuck to the fabric. So I need to go practice my very favourite activity, as you can observe by the age and provenance of my last piece of swimwear, find a new bathing costume. This weather makes me wish I had organised some kind of vacation for myself, but at least I'll be able to visit secret beaches and swimming spots on my days off--new bathing suit or not.

How's the weather where you live? What do you do when it's this hot out?

All photos are my own.

Smithereens

Susan Seidelman's Smithereens had been on my list of films to watch ever since reading about it here (which, apparently, proves it has been on my list for a whole two years), but I only finally got around seeing it this week. I really, really enjoyed it, and I highly recommend you see it too (if you live in the same city as me, they have it at La Boîte Noire, I've returned it!).

Still, what I really want to share with you is how well the soundtrack was chosen, and how the movie introduced me to a band I didn't know, The Feelies, which is quickly becoming a new favourite. I don't think I have been this excited about a new (to me) band in a very long time, so right after finishing Smithereens, I went to my favourite record shop to try and find The Feelies' Crazy Rhythms. It was unfortunately out of stock, but the employee kindly ordered me a copy which I can't wait to get my hands on.

In brief, what I have to say on Smithereens: watch and listen, now. I'm too thrilled still to write coherently about it, so I'll leave it as that. As I said on Blank Generation (and they both have Richard Hell in common, if that's not enough of an incentive to see both!), I've watched it, and so should you.