All the lights are going on now...

^odd collage with my Christmas tree in the background by me.

Hello readers,

I was too wrapped up in the festivities to post yesterday. I had a great time with my family. We opened our gifts while listening to Jeff Buckley. I'm grateful for everything but especially in love with my new book 'M.' It is the graphic novel adaption of a Fritz Lang detective film from the 1930s. It also happens to be illustrated by the amazing John J. Muth (I used to be a graphic novel geek. Don't judge me!) Surprisingly, my unfashionable brother managed to buy me a really cool belt all by himself! He's been doing this Bruce Lee workout since August and his clothes are now too baggy. I bought him a tight Foo Fighters shirt so he can get a girlfriend. (By the way Molly, he loves War and Parliament Funkedelic and has a 'fro. Too bad you guys live so dang far apart!)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with their families! And hats off to those of you who spent your time making a better day for the less fortunate (unlike selfish me.)

Now I share with you my favorite Christmas song.

Icon: Alice Glass (from Crystal Castles)

Alice Glass looks like the outsider girl in every high school that the shy outcasts wanted to be. Her bleak pallor and cropped hair paired with her ability to wear thick, black eye make up without looking silly (something I never achieved) lends her an other species kind of appearance. These photo's look more like stills from a movie about a zombie punk band than images of just a girl with a microphone. I also think, and this may come as a shock, it's quite cool that Miss Glass almost never wears trousers. It's rare that you see a girl really rock a skirt. Her apparently great tight collection and filthy Chucks, along with her aforementioned traits, prevent her from looking like a girly girl. This look doesn't scare all the boys away. It draws the truly cool ones in. The interesting and talented Mehran over at Between the Static and Magic has declared her a "dreamboat". I think looking at Alice can inspire an invisible outcast to be noticed. Even if it's for looking strange. Anything but typical, please.

Now get dancing all you freaks and geeks!

Inspiration

^ by Alissa Anderson

^by Terry Richardson

Icon: Victoria in "Twilight"

Seeing Twilight made me want to fall in love with a mysterious sexy vampire. For a main stream film I thought it was pretty good (besides a few Hollywood moments). Definitly better when compared to other main stream crap out there. Besides that, this evil vampire girl, Victoria, caught my eye with her very bohemian style (evil vampire boy James wasn't too bad either). She was even barefoot while hunting for human flesh. I'm in love with her fur cape and overall look that reminded me of Jennifer Herrema. Since I am a reader (and books are usually better than films) I'm going to pick up the first book tomorrow. This time of year I'm into Edgar Allen Poe and classic Christmas ghost stories so I think Twilight will fit into my tastes just fine.

^Jennifer Herrema

I Love Hysteric Glamour

My longtime readers know that I love Hyster Glamour. Their t-shirts designs are perfect in my world. I'm a total advocate of, "Every is free to have their own style" yada, yada. But when I see someone with a shirt that says "Punk" on it a hundred times (and if it's written in pink) they remind me of thirteen year old mall rats. Hysteric Glamour avoid this pitfall by having a picture of the musician (sometimes Sue Rynski photos) on the front of the tee and lyrical reference on the back. If anything is written on the front it is (of course) a song title. Their simpler approach to the rock n' roll tee is what spurred my love. New desings just make it grow.

Aside from their music designs, text on the garments is still pretty minimal. The title of the line is what first intrigued me. I interpret it to mean glamour that doesn't take itself too seriously is maybe a bit kooky. I think this fits the design approach. My favorite designs are the "Metal Glamour" tee and the "Smoking Kills" tee that looks more like rebellion than a public service announcement.