Stressed, Depressed, but Well-Dressed
She's alive!!!
Sorry for the absence, my gorgeous readers. I am in my surviving, not thriving era. Honestly, I envy people with the will and/or ideal astrological chart to strive during mentally and emotionally challenging times. The good news is, I find great joy in dressing up! So, lemme tell you about what I’ve been wearing this summer…
This year is the 25th anniversary of Jawbreaker, which had an immense impact on me as a teen. (I wrote about the beauty looks and interviewed the hairstylist, Alex Dizon, for WhoWhatWear back in February). I think I want to do a whole post on here about Jawbreaker, especially since my I-D story for the 20th anniversary in 2019 (and interview with the costume designer, Vikki Barrett) is somewhere floating around in the E-ther after Ka**ie Kl**s wiped the website clean. The disrespect…(Yes, I do have the article downloaded, thankfully.)
In July, the Academy Museum held an anniversary screening of the film with a Q+A featuring director Darren Stein and most of the cast sans Rose McGowan (Trixie Mattel hosted). Naturally, I had to dress as Vylette! Putting together the look was slightly challenging as I hastily DIY’d Vylette’s iconic ‘Bitch’ tank top an hour before we had to leave, resulting in a failed bedazzle (I needed bigger stones). Thankfully, it still worked, even if it was Monet and cuter from far away.
As part of my coping mechanisms, I’ve been leaning into nostalgia even more lately with clothing choices. I’m recreating outfits I wore as a teen, and I’ve become obsessed with finding American Apparel-esque disco pants straight out of the Myspace indie sleaze era. I had pieces from AA, of course, but never those shiny, sexy pantalones. Los Angeles Apparel (the ‘new’ AA) has a version but I’m worried they run small. Luckily, I found a decent pair from Good American, the Compression Shine Good Waist Leggings. I’ll probably get the black ones in time for fall when it’s time to put on the gothic shacklez.
I have a whole post dedicated to the purse next time, so I won’t say much here. And yes, those are Pollys, my signature shoe of the late aughts/2010s!!! I may be bringing them back…
A highlight of the night was when I ran into Judi Greer at the afterparty and told her, “My name is Vylette” — and she called me a bitch!
Love you and your brilliant mind, Darren!!!
Earlier this summer, Benefit Cosmetics, who always knows how to throw a party, had an event at Saddle Ranch celebrating a giveaway for Ulta customers to win a pink Ford Bronco. For the uninitiated, Saddle Ranch is a Western-themed restaurant/bar on the Sunset Strip famous for its mechanical bull (Miranda let loose and rode it in the third season of Sex and the City.) The last time I’d been to the Saddle Ranch was sometime in the early aughts. Apparently, the restaurant became a hot spot for the TikTok Gen-Z elite in recent years, which makes sense since it is truly a place for the “yutes.”
You know, mamas LOVES a theme, and the last time I had the opportunity to dress in Westernwear was during the “Cowboys and Tube Socks” party my friends and I threw in 2006. So, the chance to get my yeehaw on was exhilarating. This pink fringe Dolly Parton-esque dress is a Fashion Brand Company design I’ve had for years but was a little too small before, and the Betty Boop cowboy boots (from Dolls Kill) were not my most responsible purchase, but I just couldn’t resist. I knew it would be risky with my thickums calves. Squeezing my leg into these made me flashback to high school when I was on the drill team and the white go-go boots we wore (for parades) would barely zip up. If only someone invented a ‘lil calf corset. I did manage to get the Betty Boop boots over my gams without dying, though!
Colette, my chicken purse, was the perfect handbag for the evening, though she needed to get dolled up with some of my jewelry. MADAME! I bought her as an ode to Angelyne after interviewing costume designer Danny Glicker about his work on the Angelyne miniseries. (When you buy Angelyne’s merch out of her trunk, she has you put the money in the chicken purse.)
Lastly, my trashy Americana look from the Fourth of July featured this little halter from a Marilyn Monroe Macy’s line?! It was part of a huge bag of hidden treasure from 2012/2013 that was in the back of my closet at my parents’ house! VINTAGE!!! There are some things in the bag that I need to get dry-cleaned (old Betsey Johnson!) but I can’t wait to wear them again.
And that is my baby Gnocchi wearing a Dolly Parton bandana! See you next time!
xx,
Marie
Colette in jewels!! SO GOOD
So nice to have you "back" - love all the pink as it is a favorite color of mine as well - it is truly good for the soul x