2013 - Catch Up

So I'll admit, I've spent the last few days watching season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race.

No kidding when people say this show is the best reality show on television. It has all of the best aspects of America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, True Life, Made, and occasionally American Idol. 

27 years amazing, and always a lady

RIP Antoine Ashley October 1 2012

I feel odd feeling really bad about someone I didn't know personally. What is even more odd is feeling the lump in your throat develop. This reaction was almost immediate when Michael Jackson died, tears on the keyboard of the campus computer at the school library. I expected that. 

What I did not expect was the near same reaction to the death of Miss Sahara Davenport of Ru Paul's Drag Race Fame. Why? I don't cry easily. People die every day. Even famous ones. But this is not a matter of fame. Michael Jackson was an integral part of my childhood and he revolutionized an industry. Miss Davenport is a part of a revolution. Looking past the LGBTQ, GLAAD conference, and the drag, she was/is one of the beacons supporting the idea of self acceptance, being happy with who you are, and making the absolute best out of life. I owe a degree of my self confidence to her and the show. I don't have to justify it because I think I'm pretty awesome and there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those thoughts. Could she have conceived how many people she had inspired? The thought is overwhelming since it seemed almost unconscious until the tears fell on the keyboard. 27 years old, and you've become a bigger inspiration than you can imagine. One could die happy having had that kind of impact. Still, 27 years seems unfair. 

Upon hearing the news my first thoughts were of Manila Luzon. I can only hope for the best. Stay strong and, in the Filipino habit, don't forget to eat. 

Here are the deepest condolences from a stranger. 

Another reason why we should go back to fashion illustration...

"The Many Faces of Manila" by Kyle Letendre. HeyKyle.net

How awesome is this? I personally love the graphics, they have this really cool cartoony/comic styling about them. I won't got into too much detail since I hate being too descriptive. Let's just say that if you don't see why this graphic is cool, then there's something wrong with you. I might even predict that you're not a fun person...maybe you're even feeling a little...alright anyway - moving on!

As for making my case for fashion illustration (even though this technically isn't fashion illustration), since it's industry standard to photoshop people to the point where they don't look real anyway, why not just illustrate everything? Could you imagine Vogue editorials completely illustrated? It would be like high fashion comic book. Sigh. Only in a perfect world.

Being a Flip myself, I'm always looking for ways to represent. I was born on Luzon, after all. I'm probably going to buy this shirt even though I'm going to go cold turkey on the clothes buying for the rest of the year (plus a few months). At the very least, it's consolation for not being able to afford the Manila Luzon Barbie.

More wedding dresses, in the projects

Been busy. It was Spring Break and SXSW this past week. Despite all the fun and lounging, I'm feeling hella tired.

After the "Here comes the Bride" episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, I told my boyfriend that if I ever was in the position to get married - I'd go to a thrift store and buy a wedding dress then just alter it to my liking. Pumpkin thought the idea was cool for it's practicality, I thought it was cool just because I have more power over what my wedding dress would look like. Either way, here are my favorite made-over wedding dresses from that episode.

Tyra Sanchez

Raven

Among other things, I was watching the Media Queens episode from the first season - when Shannel had to lip sync for her life to "The Greatest Love of All" and she kept going despite the little malfunction, the moment brought a tear to my eye. Oooh she worked it out.

Holy Wow Wedding Dresses

Before I get into it, in reference to my last post, I'm kind of reluctant to wear my sun hat.

Anyway, I happen to be a big fan of Ru Paul's Drag Race.

yeah baby!

I've always thought Drag Queens were awesome. I think it's a combo of all the glam and fabulousness that has me addicted to this show. America's Next Top Model, eat your heart out!

This most recent episode, the girls had to dragify their own wedding dresses as well as becomes their own grooms. Maybe it's because I like most of the characters on the show, but really - they're pretty good looking men too. The main thing I want to touch on is their wedding dresses, OH GAWD their wedding dresses. The Queens started off with a rack of wedding dresses they got to pick from, then they had their way with the dresses. Truthfully, I wasn't expecting much because many of the girls don't sew, they hot glue things together. Seriously, some of the dresses that came out made me want to get married, particularly Tyra Sanchez's dress and Raven's dress. Maybe it was the presentation, but damn! Many of the dresses were taken up and made shorter and consequently funkier - in a good way. Very Betsey Johnson-ish. I'm not saying the Betsey Johnson is drag wear as much as it's big, colorful, and fabulous! Truthfully, when it comes to making the dresses shorter - if you're a guy and you can wear as little as possible and still look like a girl, rock it!

On a final note, I thought it was cool how Tyra Sanchez hot glued the lace appliques on her hose. It really looked cool. I may have to try that, but what sucks about it is to get it the way you want, you have to hot glue yourself - and that doesn't sound like fun.

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