Frivolous Universe

WAITING ON MY FASHION MULE: What to wear when you haven’t done your laundry in a month, your dry cleaner closes at six, and your wardrobe has to make an international border crossing

Ho-hum skinny jeans and tank top collide with red coral and turquoise Tibetan breastplate:

Kim Philley, Armor Bijoux, Frivolous Universe, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Bangkok, AXARA Paris, street style, Asia street style

The New York Times says the fall runways abound in “harmonious collisions“–Ruth La Ferla’s elegant euphemism for fashion mashups. I was feeling a bit the collision myself last night after jumping off Evel Knievel’s motorcycle (a.k.a, the Thai moto-taxi who drove me down Chong Nongsi doing a breezy 65mph).

Ten months ago, I left 90% of my wardrobe in a restaurant storage closet in Phnom Penh. Long backstory. Cambodia being tropical temperature, my beloved clothes proceeded to grow technicolor mold. My good friend has been assiduously removing the Spore Life with a spray bottle of grain alcohol and water, and will be arriving in Bangkok tonight with my resurrected clothes in tow. Which brings me to the subject of today’s post: What to wear when you’re waiting on your fashion mule:

Kim Philley Armor Bijoux Frivolous Universe, FU, Bangkok, Axara Paris, Gentic Denim, Fly Now, Soda Water

Tank top: J. Crew

Skinny jeans: Genetic Denim (Fancy Pants, Boise)

Soda water is perfectly legal, but there should be a law against dry cleaners that close at 6pm. Yesterday I ran out of clothes–shirts that don’t double as underwear; jeans that hadn’t been worn so many times they stand on their own two legs. When you must wear something predictable and shopworn, pair it with an over-the-top ethnic breastplate. I received a lot of compliments yesterday on my mashup. As long as the coworker wasn’t within whiffing distance, I nodded a demure “thank you.”

Kim Philley, Armor Bijoux, Frivolous Universe, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Bangkok, street fashion, street style

Tibetan ceremonial breastplate: Armor Bijoux (Christmas present from Bethany Walter)

Having to photograph myself this week gave me a new appreciation for the contortions Nicole Orabona pulls off. But as G.K. Chesterton said, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.” And while you’re at it, why not have cheesy fun with FxCam filters? Oh, Nana Chen, please come back!

Kim Philley Armor Bijoux Frivolous Universe Elevator Photo, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Bangkok, street fashion, street style

Only do this alone. Say “David Bowie” ten times and then open your eyes.

Kim Philley Armor Bijoux Frivolous Universe Elevator Photo, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Bangkok, street fashion, street style, saddle oxfords, elevator photos

Saddle oxfords: ZARA (Bangkok)

Kim Philley Armor Bijoux Frivolous Universe Elevator Photo, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Bangkok, street fashion, street style, GENETIC DENIM, skinny jeans

Jacket: AXARA Paris (Saigon)

Belt: Fly Now (Bangkok)

Kim Philley, Nana Chen, Frivolous Universe, FU, Asia Street Style, Dolce & Gabbana, D & G, red hot chili pepper dress, street style

Days after styling me in the green hot chili peppers dress for last week’s FU / ASS posts, Asia Street Style’s Nana Chen came across this new Dolce & Gabbana creation in American Elle. Apparently, the collective unconscious is a Thai-Mexican love child. Nana will be returning to Bangkok in March. Thank goodness I’ll only be photographing myself for two more weeks.

Kim Philley Armor Bijoux Frivolous Universe Elevator Photo, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Bangkok, street fashion, street style

If Robert Frank could be resurrected and rephotograph The Americans, he’d find a lot of us in mirrored elevators in Bangkok, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, taking furtive photos of ourselves at work.

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