(no subject)

[gwydion]

* Security at the Texas legislature today let people with guns through, but confiscated feminine hygiene products. After all, guns don't kill people; maxi-pads and tampons do! Seriously, this is how scared of women Republicans are.

* "The VRA Is Not A 'Racial Entitlement':" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-vra-is-not-racial-entitlement.html

* Three teenaged girls died and they are making racist jokes. "This Racist Joke About A Plane Crash Isn't Funny :" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/07/this-racist-joke-about-plane-crash-isnt.html

* Today I had a conversation with a lady who was accidentally showing me her vagina. What is the etiquette for that? Do I politely point it out? Ignore it? I have no script for surprise vaginas at eye level. (She was squatting on a landing in a skirt to talk to me.)

I'm not being sarcastic, I genuinely wish to know what they polite response is in this situation.

* Couture Week: (Note: I have two sometimes conflicting things I like in high fashion. 1. I like things that are beautiful and wearable. 2. I like things that make interesting art. Over the top ridiculous can work as art. As I said, these two criteria are often incompatible, though not always. I'm okay with that. They are separate categories in my head, though the best things cross over. We'll call things that crossover category 3. I've said often that for me, couture is silly hats and Halloween costumes, so do not take my responses as anything like fashion advice for sensible people).
Ellie Saab: The ones that were jewel toned mostly looked good in a classic sort of way. The pale neutrals were ugly, but I nearly always think that. (Category 1).
Valentino: They had some interesting ideas and fabrics, but they were used in aggressively ugly ways.
Jean Paul Gaultier: Ridiculous and costumey in a delightful sort of way. (Category 2).
Giorgio Armani Prive: Mostly boring shades like beige, blush, oatmeal, sand, etc.. Some of these could have been lovely in a good color, but zzzzzzzzz. A lot of the cuts were weird and/or ugly, including in the black dresses, but some might be salvageable with work. Most of it is boring, ugly trash.
Chanel: Daring, angular, full of bold swing and miss type executions. Most of these end up being aggressively ugly, but I respect the attempt in a way I can't Armani's dishwater.
On Aura Tout Vu: Amusingly bizarre. Most of these don't work as clothes, but are visually fascinating. (Category 2).
Alexis Mabille: Ridiculous, but interesting. A portion of these might be wearable with the right attitude, but mostly, these are gutsy swings that missed as clothes, but work as art. (Category 2).
Giambattista Valli: A lot of these look like contagions skin conditions to me. Some of the fabrics are interestingish. I'm not taking to those silhouettes, or it could be the execution. On further contemplation, it's mostly the execution, but some of the silhouettes aren't doing anyone favors. For me, the ones that have decent fabric just aren't jelling.
Christian Dior: Many of these also make me think of contagious skin conditions and the execution is really not working. It's like they tried to design three different outfits then mixed and matched a bunch of them, like one of those flip books they give children. The elements don't work together, where they might if the whole outfit had been designed with one of the ideas in mind. What is the word for textural and design equivalent of clashing colors? That's what these are. They are hard for me to look at because they are chaotic in a way that makes me itch. A few are wearable with modifications, and there were three that were category 1, but mostly, this doesn't work for me.
Versace: A lot of these feel like a couture parody of Goth. A do not like the peekaboo flaps and the peekaboo stripes. Also, I'm not big on the way zippers were used here. This collection is making me sad for reasons that are hard to put into words. Most of these aren't working, but they aren't interesting failures. A couple things were wearable, but mostly it's meh to ugly.
Want to see some terrible menswear? So much no. They took all those pretty men and made them look terrible. http://gofugyourself.com/high-fugshion-menswear-lowlights-06-2013/dries-van-noten-runway-paris-fashion-week-menswear-ss-2014-5

* The Imp reorganization proceeds a pace and is turning out to be rather fun.

* My Scented Home Products Circular Swap is looking for people to sign up: http://www.bpal.org/topic/81082-summer-scented-home-products-circular-swap/

* The Clutch:

Comments

[tibicina]

My usual reaction to surprise vagina (also surprise balls, unzipped flies, back-of-skirt-caught-in-waistband, etc.) is to sort of cough quietly a little and softly mention 'Umm, you may wish to...' (insert appropriate statement here which obliquely references the problem - i.e. 'watch how you stand in that skirt when you're above someone', 'adjust your shorts', 'check your pants', 'adjust your skirt'.) If they don't seem to comprehend, then you get more direct. They'll be a bit embarrassed, you'll likely be a bit embarrassed, but they will be more conscious and hopefully not embarrass more people as they continue on unaware of the problem. This also works for things like 'food stuck in teeth or beards' and 'weird bits of greenery attached to hair or clothing', though I'll generally be more direct about those because they aren't forbidden subjects.

[gwydion]

Thanks. I think my startlement froze my social circuits.

[captain-havoc.livejournal.com]

I don't think there is etiquette for that situation -- other than maybe pretending it isn't happening!