New Items at A Single Charm Vintage!

Just a little weekend note [in case you're in the mood for a bit of shopping]: new items have been posted in A Single Charm Vintage. Also, check out my SHOE SALE -- most shoes have been marked down by $5-15!! Cheers Darlings!

P.S. More rompers!! Hurry, they go fast!

The Fallen Women of Felicien Rops

I am always perplexed when I hear people say that the Victorian period was a time of prudishness or priggery, because really, there was a proliferation of "sexual perversity" in the literature and art of the 1800's. If you doubt this, a great introduction to the Victorian's obsession with sex is Michel Foucault's informative book, "History of Sexuality." A rather curious example of this sex-obsession can be seen in the art work of Belgian artist Felicien Rops, whose images of women both terrify and intrigue me. Rops was greatly influenced by the writing and ideas of Charles Baudelaire, and he was obviously a man who had experienced the seedier side of life and became possessed by its allure as well as its pitfalls. Rops was a painter of fallen women, evil women, seductive women, deadly women...

I don't know why I haven't discussed Rops sooner, because his drawing above ["The Absinthe Drinker, 1865] is one of my favorite all-time images. The girl in the picture is just mesmerizing -- somehow, despite the fact that she is obviously intended to look pale and ill from her addiction [and undoubtedly she is a prostitute], she is also completely alluring and seductive. It is also no accident, I think, that she looks vaguely vampiric.

According to Mario Praz, "[Rops] object...was to portray Evil incarnate in woman -- a portrayal which Rops intended to be satirical, but which, owing to his excessive complaisance with the subject, he could not raise above the level of mere illustration, often pornographic."

I'm not certain how satirical Rops intended his images to be [or if he was just simply a misogynist], but it is interesting that Praz claims that Rops was somehow not able to raise his art work to a higher level because he was "complaisant" about the depiction of women...

Ironically, MANY paintings and illustrations during the 1800's represented women as sexual, dangerous, and seductive. I see Rops as someone who was trying to peel away the layer of falsity and academic seriousness in the art world, and take these ideas to their obvious and extreme end. His images are almost always borderline [if not all-out] pornographic. He challenged the viewer to be seduced by the eroticism of his images, while also being revolted by them...

Despite the fact that he does not portray women in a positive light, he manages to raise interesting questions about the representations of women also present in more popular art works of the time -- particularly those by the Pre-Raphaelites. I love the Pre-Raphaelites, don't get me wrong, but they were just as guilty as Rops of perpetuating images of women as beautiful, yet always perpetually immoral creatures.



Rops' no-nonsense approach is what draws me to him. His images are not traditionally beautiful and his women are not worthy of emulation -- they are naughty and debased. But they also tell us a lot about the ways that women have been perceived in culture and remind us of the importance of having a critical eye about art, even when the aesthetic is so mesmerizing that it makes us momentarily forget...

For more of his amazing images, check out Arterotismo.

Has anyone ever been to the Rops museum in Belgium? If so, I would LOVE to hear about it...

June 2009 Fashion Magazine Covers

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart on June 2009 magazine covers of Life & Style and Girlfriend Australia


Left: Bar Refaeli for Elle Italy June 2009 Issue
Right: Reese Witherspoon in Elle UK June 2009


Left: Renne Zellweger in Marie Claire Czech Republic June 2009 Cover
Right: Beyonce Knowle in Glamour Russia



Left: Elizabeth Hurley in Tatler UK
Right: Edita Vilkeviciute in Vogue Autralia

Mix-and-Match Fashion: Bags and Shoes OR Bags and Sunglasses

Years ago, women were fond of accessorizing their wardrobe by wearing accents to match the pieces of their outfits. It has been noted that during 1950s, women acquired bags, belts, gloves, hats, shoes, jewelries and cosmetics in matching colors. They became so obsessed of this mix-and-match fashion statement that the legacy still lives on in today’s fashion trends. In addition, fashion styles in complementing colors is also a big hit nowadays.

Here's some of the perfect mix-and-match of bags and shoes and sunglasses for this summer!

Bags and Shoes from Instyle




Bags and Sunglasses from Vogue

Tagged...

I was tagged by the amazing Airam over at one of my favorite blogs, Lost in a Spotless Mind. Never one to turn down an opportunity for procrastination, here are my answers...and my tags below.

What is your current obsession? So many right now!!: Finding a mascara that actually makes my pathetic lashes look long, lush, and amazing...and is waterproof. Any suggestions?? Also, I recently started using "O-Glow" by Smashbox and I'm in love! It gives you perfectly flushed cheeks without ever looking fake or cakey. Any perfume by Burberry -- right now it is "Summer." Lastly, I have become a huge fan of at-home microdermabrasion. "Modern Friction" by Origins makes my skin so smooth and soft! I highly recommend it!

What is your weirdest obsession? Researching photographers/photography from the Victorian period.

What are you wearing today? Liberty print button-up blouse, skinny jeans, and brown leather huaraches I recently bought from Urban Outfitters.

What’s for dinner? Mexican food from El Guapos -- it's taco night with the fam!

What’s the last thing you bought? Beer. It was Memorial Day weekend, after all.

What are you listening to right now? The sound of my fridge humming. If you mean what I am currently enjoying, music-wise: MGMT, Glas Vegas, Jenny Lewis, Neko Case, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs... many more.

What do you think about the person who tagged you? She’s smart, fashionable, and very talented! I wish I could meet her in person...I would love to hang out and chat!

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be? The south of France: fresh bread, fruit and pastries every day, flowers everywhere, vineyards, bicycles, cafes, warm breezes, the ocean...perfection.

What’s your must-have piece for summer? Floral prints, particularly on sundresses. Net-a-Porter has some that are to die for:

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? The Louvre...though an hour is not nearly enough time.

Which language do you want to learn? Spanish would be nice...and practical. Though I do wish my French and Portuguese were much better.

What’s your favourite quote? Practically all of my favorites are from Oscar Wilde, for example: "Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginitive." ~ Oscar Wilde.

Who do you want to meet right now? Barack Obama.

What is your favourite colour? Gray and black for clothing. Red, blues and greens for decor.

What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet? My light denim jean jacket.

What is your dream job? What I'm doing right now: A combination of teaching/researching/writing/and having my own little side-business selling vintage clothes...

What’s your favourite magazine? It is sort of difficult to get really interesting magazines here, but Lucky is my favorite standby.

If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on? A fancy new coffee maker.

What do you consider a fashion faux pas? I agree with Airam -- foundation that is too dark is just a no-no. Clothes that are too large or too small. Baseball caps, or any sports-related clothing for that matter [unless at a sporting event]. Sweatpants in public. Anything with writing on the butt. Big logos from cheap stores, like AE, Old Navy, Gap, etc. Running shoes [unless you're running].

Do you admire anyone’s style? Mary Kate and Ashley, of course. Kate Moss, Debbie Harry, Brigitte Bardot, Lou Doillon, Siouxsie Sioux.

Describe your personal style? A touch of classic [I love classic ballet flats, scarves, nautical stripes, simple silhouettes]. A touch of vintage [I'm usually experimenting with a certain decade -- 20's, 70's, 90's, etc.]. And a touch of whatever inspires me at the moment [right now it is flowy silk tops and dresses...]

What are you going to do after this? list some new items in my vintage shop on Etsy, go for a short jog, and then go into work for a few hours.

What are your favourite movies? The list is too long, but I can give a run-down of my usual criteria for liking a movie [I'm quite predictible that way]: Horror films (Phenomenon/Dawn of the Dead); Sci-fi films (Star Trek/Star Wars); Fantasy films (Legend/Labrinth); films about interesting women (Marie Antoinette/Frida); films about women who kick ass and wear great clothes (Kill Bill/Resident Evil); films with Brigitte Bardot (Contempt/And God Created Woman); films about vampires (The Hunger/Lost Boys).

What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without: Bare Minerals [great for oily skin and always looks natural]. Jergens Natural Glow lotion [essential for my pale skin in the summer]. Clinique Black Honey lipstick [literally perfect on everyone].

What inspires you? anything that pushes the limits of artistic/creative expression -- in fashion, art, literature, music, etc. It doesn't have to be insanely experimental or mind-blowing, but just something that makes you see things a bit differently or makes you feel excited about the genre again.

Give us three styling tips that always work for you: You can't ever go wrong with healthy, glowing skin; a big, friendly, white smile; and a pair of jeans that flatter you!

What do you do when you “have nothing to wear” (even though your closet’s packed)? All black. It makes you feel put-together even when you're feeling lazy. Throw on black leggings and a black tunic or tank, with black heels or flats. Immediate chic.

**The rules are: Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight other people. I’m lazy, so I’ll only tag five of my new favorites: Greedy Girl, Loose Leaf Tigers, What Indie Nights, Woody, and Aurea.