Project Minima:

Sunday, October 12, 2014

David Bowie: Fashion Icon

~ You Know Who ~

~ Where? ~

~ Here!! ~

Yep, the only stop in the U.S. is in my backyard, Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art.  It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood too.

But the process was not unlike the airport.  Dated and timed tickets had to be purchased in advanced.  And must be picked up 1 hour prior to the time stamped.  You were not allowed to enter earlier, nor later, than your scheduled time.  When we arrived as instructed, there was no line anywhere and not too much of a crowd inside either.

I wore the accompanying headphones for the first time ever at a museum.  (I hate being told what to see).  But in this case I knew they'd just be piping in Bowie tunes, so yeah, let's do it.  Well...it didn't take long for me to "whisper" over the headphones to my true love that I was just not interested.  It was obvious he wasn't either.  We wandered around the perimeter of each darkened room, hearing blurps of Bowie tunes abruptly start and then fade off.  Then there were the usual curatorial pronouncements summarizing arbitrary concepts/phases/milestones of the artist's career in mile high typeset on each wall of each room.  These I always ignore.  (I don't like being told what/ how to think either).  yuck.

Seeing his costumes was sorta cool.  But without Bowie's moves and voguing, they really lose their glamor and look rather sad or silly.   They had his house keys there, I think that's what they were.  woo-hoo.  4 paintings of his, that was cool, but ony 4.  And a little book under Plexiglas that was opened to a page with his measurements written down for tailoring.  26 1/2 inch waist, oh my!

Perhaps the best part of the exhibition was at the end when you were emptied out into a big room which held the majority of his outfits and was surrounded on 3 walls, floor to ceiling, with speakers behind screens playing segments of him on stage.  It was like big you tube videos all playing at once, fading in and out, in the dark.   And one, no two, benches to sit on.  We stayed there until it repeated and made our way out.  To the cafe, of course.

If you've made it this far, do go on to see my Bowie ensemble in which I garnered 3 distinct compliments from people at the MCA.



Looking Arty at the Art Cafe
Yes, here I'm wearing Melanie's "Turnip Head" of Bag and a Beret.  I think it works smashingly with my ensemble, don't you?  You're more than welcome to borrow it whenever you'd like.  Just dash over to Melanie's place and grab it.   Honorable Mention also goes to my friend VX and her "Sewing Cat Machine" painting which I couldn't help but show off as soon as I got my hands on it.  Thanks V.  Anyone interested in that work of art, just let me know and I'll lead you to VX.

I swear, I've never looked so good and am seriously considering a Turnip Head transplant.  Later.

But first, les shoes
and stockings

at the cafe.
You may remember the stockings I made from the Rose Hip pattern.  The pale pink suede shoes are from ebay, but of course.   Oh and the compliments!  One woman at the cafe stopped me and said, "Those shoes are the best thing I've seen here!" ...at the MCA?, that was certainly the truth. "Thanks for noticing."  As I walked into the museum a young woman with children coloring at a table said, "Oh, I love your stockings!" "I made them."  dumbfounded.  And finally, walking into the pseudo line, a very young woman said "I love all your layers!" smiling, and smiling.  That certainly made my day.

All the rest of my Bowie ensemble photos were taken at my sewing studio and are of the usual fuzzy quality.

Vest & tunic are adapted from

Tina Givens patterns

so is the underslip from Vogue

stockings from Rosehip pattern
close-up of fingerless gloves made from scrap fabric

close-up of clasp made by S and Mom's old necklace

If you're not worn out yet, you can see each of the pieces close-up and non-fuzzy on my Clothes for Fall page, plus any patterns they may have come from.   Then,  I'm going over to Sheila's Birthday Bash, and her ShoeShine.  Do join us before she goes on sabbatical.  Later I'll be joining Rhonda's Me Made Monday on Monday.  Be sure to check out all the sewistas then.

And here it is Visible Monday already.  I'm off to join all the lovelies at Patti's Not Dead Yet StyleHopefully, you won't mind me wearing the same thing twice - more or less.

22 comments:

  1. This sounds like the best show, short of seeing the man himself animate his stuff. You're lucky they didn't try to tack you up on the wall yourself - you look like art and your original clothes are true Pieces. And bwa-ha-ha, Turnip Head came home gloating about how much more fun she had on your body than mine!! Thanks, Pao, for showing her a good time.

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    1. If she goes missing, you'll know where to find her. After all, you have plenty of spare heads around, I've seen them. And you did offer to loan her out...we've kinda grown attached you see.

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  2. No surprise you had admirers, you look astounding. I would have surreptitiously followed you about admiring as well.

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    1. ahh, but I would have recognized you and shouted out, Gam Kau! And said that cat from Japan or we could be heroes just for one day, etc.

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  3. You do look astounding! Every detail is so artistic. You definitely wear my shoes if I could wear them. Arch supports just don't work inside the cute stuff.
    I'm with you on the headphones thing. The only time I've kept them on was the time I toured Alcatraz, because I like some of that morbid stuff once in a while.

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    1. Where have you been Joni girl? I've been looking forward to your continuing sewing adventures.

      Really, arch supports won't work in them? They're not all holey or high heeled. I missed the Alcatraz tour but that's okay.

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  4. You are such a fun gal!!! I would loooove to come rummage through your closet and try on eeeeeeverything!!!! :o)

    JJ
    www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

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    1. Be my guest. Everything is pretty much one size swallows all.

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  5. Ahh! Obviously people of discrimination (in the old sense) at that art show. You look magic. Xo JJ

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  6. Love it!!! Actually, there's so much that I'm intrigued with, the gloves, love the handmade hook and eyes.
    I'm going to see the exhibit in a few weeks. Looking forward to it. I've seen some of his costumes at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The MMMonday post will be up in a few hours. Sorry for being late.

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    1. Re Bowie, I was excited by the idea, but bored by the minutiae.

      Hey, I'm just early for the Me Made Monday post, that's all. See you there.

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  7. You look fantastic, the pair of you do! Those stockings are incredible and, even as a self-confessed loather of pointy shoes, rather like yours.
    I hate those headphones in museums, too! xxx

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    1. Really, no pointy shoes for you?! hmmm. While I love them to pieces. Pointy shoes practically make me swoon. or gasp. But I do know you get your kicks in a mirage of other ways, Vix.

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  8. I think it's pretty damn cool that you can make your own stockings - I wouldn't even know where to start. Love those pretty pink shoes too.
    I really liked the Bowie Exhibit but I agree the headphones got rather annoying and more distracting than helpful. The room at the end with the giant video screens was the best part - I could have spent hours there.

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    1. Me too. I learned how from another Chicago blogger who created a pattern for making stockings. You can buy it online. We spent the most time in the big video room too, watching it all for one round.

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  9. I would have stopped you too, your outfit is killer! And you made your own stockings, you are a bad ass designer you are! Those pink shoes!!

    What a cool exhibit, I was blown away by the 26inch waist, lil guy big presence! Ziggy stardust god I love that song!!
    Xxxooo

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    1. You are the one with the stockings! So expensive, I've resorted to making my own. Just don't happen to have much 4-way stretch fabric in my stash.

      I've been swaying to fragments of Bowie tunes since then. And he has such great lyrics.

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  10. Turnip head! I agree, Bowie is best in motion. Love, love your outfit and awesome hosiery. Thanks for sharing the fabulousness with Vis Monday, xox

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    1. Yes, we've both worn the same head. Isn't she grand? Thanks for hosting us every fortnight, Patti. You're the best.

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  11. I'm so in awe of you today I can't stand myself! Arty, yes. Beautiful. Shoes, socks, dress, hat, borrowed face ... everything! Pink is absolutely my frame of mind these days, so much that I can't even blog about it. Yet.
    Additionally, I'm in awe that I'm like you in how I approach museum spaces and presentations! For years, I've felt guilty that I just can't stand reverently in front of every piece on display and drink in the greatness completely before I move on. I sometimes stalk through just to get the feel, then go back and actually look at the (often few) pieces I like.
    You are my hero in so many ways. So glad you got the best of the show and left the rest!

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    1. Oh yeah, that's the way it's done. And then you go back again and again if you can and you want to. I believe I pick it all up through osmosis anyway. I love pink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I can't wait to hear what you have to say about your pink state of mind. omg.

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