Frivolous Universe

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Tag "breastplate"

Vanessa Boots, Kim Philley, white corset, happycorset.com, Terminal 21, Bangkok, Thai fashion, Asia Street Style, Bangkok street style, Frivolous Universe, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, tutu, Tibetan breastplate

He saw corsets, corsets, corsets, corsets, corsets, corsets, corsets, corsets.

Do you know how to pony?  Like bony maroney.

Do you know how to twist? Well it goes like this, it goes like this:

Marilyn Monroe, Kim Philley, Vanessa Boots, Pedro, corsets, Frivolous Universe, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, fit to be tied, Asia Street Style, Thai fashion, Bangkok fashion, Bangkok street style, Terminal 21 shopping mall, Tokyo floor, www.happycorsets.com

It’s 10pm in Bangkok and, rest assured, I haven’t eaten dinner, I’m blogging from a shopping mall, and I’m rocking a neoprene wrist support on my right mouse-clicker (back in the olden days they called them ‘hands’). The mall rat smack has hit my veins and it sounds a lot like Patti Smith singing horses, horses, horses, horses.

But Bangkok’s new Terminal 21 shopping mall — each floor themed after a different international city — exerts a loopy alchemy. Suddenly I get the feeling I’m being surrounded by corsets, corsets, corsets, corsets!  Perhaps I’m paranoid. Or perhaps Pedro and I have lingered a little too long on the Tokyo floor, home of happycorset.com:

Marilyn Monroe, Kim Philley, Vanessa Boots, Pedro, corsets, Frivolous Universe, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, fit to be tied, Asia Street Style, Thai fashion, Bangkok fashion, Bangkok street style, Terminal 21 shopping mall, Tokyo floor, www.happycorsets.com

My figure has been more Smith than Monroe as of late. All I do is work; my ass is beginning to take the shape of my cheap, sunken office chair. No offense to Patti, but I’m over being a gay man’s muse.

Kim Philley, Patti Smith, Horses, Vanessa Boots, Frivolous Universe, Asia Street Style, street fashion, Terminal 21, Bangkok, Thai fashion

Part of my family’s lore is a story about my great-grandfather wanting to get some sleep after a long day’s work. He stumbled into the bedroom he shared with my great-grandmother. When he saw all his wife’s ‘underthings’ strewn about the room, her corset included, he barked, ‘Gracie, get those women off of my bed!’

I want my women back. I want hips like María Félix when I don my little black dress.

Maria Felix, the little black dress, La Dona, Vanessa Boots, Kim Philley, Frivolous Universe, street style, FU

For this week’s post I found a beautiful woman with a gorgeous figure to fill my size-10 shoes. Don’t let the name Pedro dissuade you. ‘He’ is definitely 100% La Doña. Pedro looks smokin’ in his Happy Corset. And that Tibetan breastplate sure don’t hurt — a dramarama accessory I believe FU has singlehandedly put back on the fashion map.

Marilyn Monroe, Kim Philley, Vanessa Boots, Pedro, corsets, Frivolous Universe, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, fit to be tied, Asia Street Style, Thai fashion, Bangkok fashion, Bangkok street style, Terminal 21 shopping mall, Tokyo floor, www.happycorsets.com

Black corset: Happy Corset, Tokyo Floor, Terminal 21, Bangkok

Tibetan breastplate: Bethany Walter’s fabulous online jewelry store, Armor Bijoux

Copper bracelet: The Gold Mine, Ketchum, Idaho

Strappy heels: Geez, Pedro — where’d ya get those sweet heels? Fill me in when you got a sec.

Marilyn Monroe, Kim Philley, Vanessa Boots, Pedro, corsets, Frivolous Universe, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, fit to be tied, Asia Street Style, Thai fashion, Bangkok fashion, Bangkok street style, Terminal 21 shopping mall, Tokyo floor, www.happycorsets.com

How have we gone from ooh la la guitarra to Victoria’s Secret in 50-odd years? It must have been the Fin de siècle.

Heidi Klum & VIctoria's Secret 'Angels', Kim Philley, Vanessa Boots, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, Asian Street Style, Bangkok street style, Thai fashion

Thank God there’s a burlesque dancer to redeem us all: the mermaid-pale, azure-corseted Dita Von Teese:

Dita Von Teese corset jewelled pastel (Kim Philley for FU), Vanessa Boots, corsets, subtly slutty, Asian Street Style, Bangkok fashion, Bangkok street style, Thai fashion, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, Frivolous Universe, fashion

Well color me purple. Next time I draw you a Liger, Pedro, I’ll make it all Gotham-like. Ligers are like a lion and tiger mixed — bred for its skills in magic. Just like mating an antique Tibetan breastplate with a cheap Bangkok corset. Same species, Pedro.

Dita Von Teese corset jewTerminal 21, shopping malls Bangkok, happycorset.com, Tibetan breastplate, (Kim Philley for FU), Vanessa Boots, corsets, subtly slutty, Asian Street Style, Bangkok fashion, Bangkok street style, Thai fashion, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, FU, Frivolous Universe, fashion

Dear Pedro (a.k.a. Vanessa Boots),

Thanks again for all the sweet hook-ups and for letting me be a lazy blogger. If you don’t come back to visit soon I’m going to have to grow some T&A along with a midnight work ethic. I’m just so tired — gosh!

Peace out,

Napoleon

Photographer: Vanessa Boots, Kim Philley, Frivolous Universe, FU, http://http://www.frivolousuniverse.com/, Asia Street Style, Bangkok fashion, Thai street style, corsets, Terminal 21 shopping mall, happycorsets.com

Photographs by Vanessa Boots (a.k.a. Pedro) and the bemused shop girl at www.happycorsets.com

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Steal like an artist.
So yeah, this outfit may not be art, but it certainly is stolen, erm…inspired. After all, there is nothing new under the sun. And all is vanity. So what you wear becomes a catalogue of what and who you come into contact with — and how those combined forces creatively, often subconsciously, synthesize in the daily act of dressing.
The Tibetan turquoise, coral and beaded breastplate ($140, Armor Bijoux) is inspired by… • Bethany’s beautiful and frequent displays of breastplate glory. • My instant envy for Kim’s breastplate gift (hubba). • The ceremonies of the Ladakh tribe, as apparently this is a necklace made for the occasion. • The western US, as I find something so Santa Fe about this piece too. Overall, it makes me think of the soul, and vast open spaces, and mountains, and east meets west, and general bad-assery.

The Carlisle silk shirt (thrifted gift, somewhere in Oregon) is inspired by… • An undying love for labels that read 100% silk. • An undying love for gold. • A sort of mobius strip of inspiration that started with the one-by-one induction of the FU ladies into thrift store fashion fetishism, that in part led to this blog, that led my friend Amanda to start thrift store shopping in Oregon, that led her to buy and give this to me. Boomerang.

Made in the former British Hong Kong, this shirt is beautifully made for women with personal servants. It has intricate buttoning up the back, even hook-and-eyes up the nape of the neck.

The Bonnie and Norma vintage velvet riding pants ($3.75, thrift store) are inspired by… • Anna’s love for vintage velvet, which inspired me to start eagle-eyeing thrift stores for the exquisiteness. When I found these riding pants, she told me she had been on the search for a similar pair for years. Just recently, she found her own, and smokin’ hot. Now if I could only compete with her collection of velvet skirts.

The Frye Boots ($200, after parental gift-discount) are inspired by… • Peer pressure, because like, all the FU ladies have them, practically. • Cowboys. • The Civil War, which apparently inspired the whole boot-making venture in the first place.

All made in the USA baby.

The Leonardo Riva black leather oversized tuxedo jacket ($10, thrift store) is inspired by: • Kelly and Nicole’s fascination with menswear and tuxedo jackets. I love the oversized tuxedo feel of the front. And the yards of leather. (No offense, PETA.)  • My Harley-riding dad, and the added, full-body protection this will give me when on the back of a motorcycle. • My bicycle, and the semi-full-body protection this will give my outfits in the muddy spring. • Some puff sleeved leather jacket I saw on a runway recently. • The f*cking neurotic weather.

In the end, it’s me on a weekday, with the things I carry. Even people, even places, even love.

Photos by the glorious Bethany Walter, FU-ing tomorrow.

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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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