Bethany | Frivolous Universe

PMSING FOR A BETTER WORLD

By: Bethany Walter

02-03-2012

My mood dictates heavily what I wear. This night, Story Story Night, I planned on dressing more glamorous and wearing my Kim Basinger cream wool dress circa 1990’s Batman. Earlier in the day, I had even made it over to Tanzanite Salon and stylist Jen Brown fixed my hair into this 2012’s popular side swept look.

ooooo . . .

2012’s popular side swept hair: Tanzanite Salon, styled by Jen Brown

My female cycle is coming. That night I was feeling emotional and vulnerable. I wasn’t wanting to embody the feminine and delicateness of my preselected dress or it’s white coloring sure to spotlight against an audience of dark colors. This is my last minute scramble for an outfit styled by PMS.

Gray campy t-shirt: GAP, over a year ago
Emerald velvet dress: Betsey Johnson, Lux Fashion Lounge, Christmas gift from Jessica

Anna wrote this week about chromotherapy and how color can change a person’s mood. Anna, I’m not sure if I believe in it either but I am definitely drawn to certain colors based on what I feel or want to feel. When I am emotional, I usually want to counterbalance and dress for strength, which usually translates into minimal and or darker colors.

Tibetan breastplate: Armor Bijoux

Adding to the empowering strength of a dark color palette, I also like to wear big and bold jewelry for extra emphasis. Accents of fierce colors such as the red in this Tibetan breastplate helps too.

Vintage rings: old pawn Navajo, gift (see this post for close up photo)
Black lace-up leather boots: We Who See, Urban Outfitters 3 years ago

Why stop with color and big jewelry might as well wear black lace-up ankle boots that say I am durable.

Photography by Anna Demetriades

My female cycle has a pattern of inspiring me to want to move to another country, change careers, and save the world in one week.

My current fantasy for a better world is wage laws that make it so that everyone who works a full week can afford a humane way of living, which includes the occasional vacation, healthy organic food, day care, health insurance, housing, and time to be physically active. It would also be nice if there were laws that regulated how businesses operate, i.e. not over working people because of labor cuts or slave driving people over seas because they have less protection. Maybe there are some laws, but right now it seems too easy and acceptable to exploit another person for profits. We need more accountability.

What is the psychology of how you dress?

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Ice Princess . . . of the foothills?

By: Bethany Walter

24-02-2012

Bethany

While the other FU ladies are waiting for this winter to be over, I am happy to have a chance to crown myself with this fur hat. Nearly twenty years ago it traveled all the way from Russia with one of my father’s colleges from whom he bought it. In all the time since it has hardly been worn. This last Christmas my father gave it to me. He may never have thought to before my converting to a life of frugality and second hand thrifting. Before the expected gift to give was brand new and cost money.

Brocade coat, Russian fur hat, Anne Klein Neiman Marcus pencil skirt, Liz Claiborne black leather heals

Brocade coat: McClintock Collections, Ishi Nights (Boise boutique 5 years ago)

All of my gifts my family gave me that Christmas were second hand and it was the best one I had ever had. There wasn’t that feeling of waste from giving or receiving an obligatory gift. There also wasn’t any embarrassment from receiving or giving a more expensive gift.

Russian fur hat, vintage chocker necklace, lipstick: NAR Heat Wave

Vintage fur hat: Russia, gift
Lipstick: Heat Wave by NAR cosmetics
1960s vintage gold bead choker: inherited from grandmother

Notice the drape of the fabric and the buttons on the collar.

Leopard animal print and gold chain belt: Talbots (The brand is just a guess)
thrift store, gift (price: $5)

Yes, I mixed bling and animal print with a conservative Victorian brocade. Juxtaposition is one of my favorite fashion dos.

Anne Klein Neman Marcus pencil skirt, fur hat, vintage JH Collectibles blouse

Pencil skirt: Anne Klein, Neiman Marcus, thrift store (Price: $5)
Vintage 1970s white draping blouse: JH Collectibles, thrift store (Price: $3)

Liz Claiborne leather heals

Leather heals: Liz Claiborne, thrift store (price: $3.49)

The world of second hand has changed my relationship with people and material wealth. Once great expense is taken out of the equation of giving, the worth of a gift becomes thoughtfulness and creativity. I feel I have more to give people and they feel they have more to give me.

This perception of the value of a gift has also expanded to my overall value of material wealth. I see things that cost money and things that don’t more on the same plane of worth. It is a freeing feeling to see things this way because I am not hoarding my belongs and focusing on the monetary expense. Thrift store shopping and second hand has open me up to a bigger life of generosity.

Anne Klein Neman Marcus pencil skirt, fur hat, vintage JH Collectibles blouse

Thrift store shopping = wealth + generosity

Thank you to Kelly and Anna for some extremely beautiful photos.

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TO BOLDLY WEAR WHAT NO ONE WOULD WEAR IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS

By: Bethany Walter

17-02-2012

Bethany

Amongst the thrift store racks I discovered a glorious polyester tunic with matching elastic waist pants decorated with mysterious stains that looked a lot like adult spittle, odd and slightly gross yes, but still strangely intriguing. The lavender hue and the v-line seam on the front of the tunic reminds me of Deanna Troi from the Star Trek Enterprise.