Two Lovely Ladies

I believe that physical appearance is a valuable form of artistic expression.
Hairstyle, makeup, body modification, and clothing can say more about you than any phrase. I used to be very dedicated to this philosophy. Admittedly though, college has made me quite lazy, and I've opted for adolescent band tees and jeans as my wardrobe. Before I return to Minnesota in July, I will have a closet full of more mature clothes (time to get out of the juniors department!). Being so small people tend to not take me seriously...I'm sure the torn jeans don't help.

One of my absolute favorite things to do is go thrifting on 4th Ave. Between University and Congress, 4th Ave is nothing but fantastic, offbeat little shops. One of my favorite clothing items is a 1971 Montgomery Ward black and white blouse I obtained from a 4th thrift store. I don't wear it often because it is so old (for a piece of clothing) but it was only 7 dollars and looks great.

My "style," when I dress up, is very mod-inspired. I never cared much for clothes or makeup until I saw a picture of Edie Sedgwick. Sedgwick was a 1960s model and dancer, muse to Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan. From the first picture I saw I was smitten. She had a way of dressing and moving that was extraordinary. She was a trained artist and jazz ballet dancer, which had a definite impact on the way she carried herself. She was art embodied. Dylan's album "Blonde on Blonde" was largely inspired by her (the two were good friends). Unfortunately she died of a barbiturate overdose in 1971.

Another woman who inspires me greatly is Bettie Page. I wish I had the thick hair to pull off those bangs! I think it's so admirable that in a time of such sexual repression, she embraced nudity and sexual exploration. Yet there was nothing smutty about anything she did; she was always completely comfortable and in control of herself. That is as important to me as her flawless hair and makeup. Looking at her comforts me in a time where fashion designers and pop culture are stripping women of all power, literally shrinking them into oblivion. Page not only had the best waist-to-hip ratio known to man, but she had the slim, toned physique of someone who enjoyed being active. To me she represents health, mental and physical. She passed of natural causes in 2008.

Above are my two favorite pictures of them. Look at Edie's stunning eye makeup! Bettie's stunning physique! No trace of lifelessness, starvation, or silicon in either of them.

It's something else to see these ladies in action. The first video is of Edie. There's not much surviving footage of Edie (Warhol was an intentionally bad camera man), but the video's creator did a great job of using her photoshoots to create a stop motion. I've been looking all over for a silver dress akin to the one in 0:45-0:57 but no dice.

The second video is footage of Bettie Page dancing edited to "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" by The Seeds, one of my favorite 1960s-era bands. Her facial expressions show that she is having a blast. The thing she does with her hips at 1:34 is beyond adorable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br4KSSbO7Ag&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifQK_86Nk-A&playnext_from=TL&videos=Gjly5Z5tS7o

I wrote a poem inspired by Edie but it needs some editing before I'm confident enough to post it. Instead, I've chosen the Poem of the Day to be "Edie Sedgwick (1943-1971)" by another favorite woman of mine, poet/musician Patti Smith.

I don't know how she did it. Fire
She was shaking all over. It took
her hours to put her make-up on.
But she did it. Even the false eye-lashes.
She ordered gin with triple
limes. Then a limousine. Everyone
knew she was the real heroine of
Blonde on Blonde.
oh it isn't fair
oh it isn't fair
how her ermine hair
turned men around
she was white on white
so blonde on blonde
and her long long legs
how I used to beg
to dance with her
but I never had
a chance with her
oh it isn't fair
how her ermine hair
used to swing so nice
used to cut the air
how all the men
used to dance with her
I never got a chance with her
though I really asked her
down deep
where you do
really dream
in the mind
reading love
I'd get
inside
her move
and we'd
turn around
and she'd
turn around
and turn the head
of everyone in town
her shaking shaking
glittering bones
second blonde child
after brian jones
oh it isn't fair

how I dreamed of her
and she slept
and she slept
forever
and I'll never dance
with her no never
she broke down
like a baby
like a baby girl
like a lady
with ermine hair
oh it isn't fair
and I'd like to see
her rise again
her white white bones
with baby brian jones
baby brian jones
like blushing
baby dolls