You'll Come Visit Me, Won't You?

Here goes {deep breathe...}: this will be my last post here at Nothing Elegant. I know this might seem as though it is coming out of nowhere, but it is something I have been thinking over for the past few weeks. I have loved this blog so much-- it has given me much more than I ever imagined. It has given me new friends, a keener eye, a place for creativity and expression, and a stronger voice. But, as my dissertation looms, I feel as though I need to focus my attention more strategically. This blog has allowed me to explore and open up about all of my varying and divergent interests, but now I feel the need for something a bit more specialized. That is why I am starting a new website: The Fin de Siecle, devoted to late Victorian art, literature, and culture. I have a feeling that most of my readers here at Nothing Elegant will like the new site (I hope!). And I truly hope you will stop by, check it out, and visit often. I also have a new Facebook page and Twitter page for the site -- come visit me there, too!

I want to thank all my readers and fellow bloggers who have encouraged me, inspired me, and made me feel like part of a vibrant, intelligent, creative community (you know who you are!). I truly hope you will follow me on my new venture....

::Check me out here now! Tell me what you think. (And I will still be checking the comments here from time-to-time, too!).


Cheers!
Tara

New Dress...New Blog?

My dear, long-lost readers!! I'm certain by now you imagine I have been buried alive under a tumbling mountain of books. In fact, I just needed a bit of time off to think about life, writing, blogging, etc. I hope you won't be completely disappointed if I tell you that there are going to be some big changes...involving the start of a new blog and the end of this one. But, you must stay tuned until my next post for all of the details -- ha, the suspense!

Just to give you a hint: my next blog won't be as "personal" as this blog has been...and it won't be as fashion/shopping related as this one (ok, there will still be fashion...I can't completely give it up!) So, I kind of wanted to leave off on a personal (and fashion-related) note by posting this series of photos that my sweet boyfriend took of me at the park today...showing off the new summer dress I got from Eshakti.

It has been such a fun, wonderful ride my dears! I think my new favorite dress is sort of symbolic of a new start -- I truly hope you will continue on this journey with me.

::OK, over the two year span of this blog, I rarely did product reviews, but this is one I'm thrilled to publicly swoon over -- seriously, Eshakti is my new favorite place to shop!! If you haven't visited their site, you must check it out. The prices are reasonable, the dresses and skirts are so cute, and they make the clothes to order...which means they take your measurements and make the clothes to fit you! Genius. I also love the fact that their dresses are stylish and slightly vintage-inspired, without being overly trendy. And they have caftans for poolside lounging!! Glamorous, darlings.

Artist: Charlotte Mann

I'd love to take up residence in a cheeky trompe l'oeil house decorated by artist Charlotte Mann. Mann specializes in life-size drawings, and her favorite place to draw is right where out mothers told us not to -- the walls! She creates charming living spaces complete with scenic window views, cheerful knick-knacks, framed pictures, floral curtains...even wallpaper. Living in one of her spaces would almost be as amazing as living in this video...almost.

::If you could have Mann design a space for you, what would you have her draw on your walls??

Penhaligon's: The Anthology Collection.

What's the one thing yours-truly likes more than high-heeled shoes, vintage dresses, AND red lipstick? Yep, perfume! One of my first jobs was as a salesgirl at a perfume shop at the mall. We didn't exactly have a lot of business, so most of my time was spent sitting around spritzing perfume on every area of available skin, mixing scents, and trying to figure out fragrance lingo {head notes, heart notes...I still haven't got it all straight}. These days, I still find it very difficult to walk by a department store perfume counter or pass by Sephora without wanting to try/buy something new. What I wouldn't give to pay a visit to London's lovely Penhaligon's perfumery! Their new re-released line of scents from the Anthology Collection features six scents from 1927 to 1976. I love the idea of wearing something that evokes a bit of nostalgia for a particular period. I also really love the fact that three of scents are from the year I was born {I can't believe I'm giving away my age}: the 1976 Night Scented Stock and the Gardenia sound amazing. Must have been a lush year !

::What are your favorite scents?? Have you tried anything from Penhaligon's?

The Magic of the Black Mirror and Other Optical Devices

{A Claude Glass, or Black Mirror}

My love for antique optical devices started with my discovery of the Stanhope, and it has snow-balled into a mini obsession. The Victorians certainly found clever ways to fulfill their need for visual stimulation with a plethora of odd optical toys and fascinating illusionary devices. The names of the devices alone are enough to make me giddy with intrigue. For example, doesn't the Black Mirror sound like something straight from Grimm's Fairy Tales? Despite its sinister-sounding nickname, the Black Mirror {also called a Claude Glass} was a small pocket-sized mirror used by landscape artists in the 1700's and 1800's. The slightly convex mirror had a dark surface, and when held up, it would abstract the scenery reflected in the surroundings. The image would have a soft, slightly painterly quality, which the painter could then use as inspiration for his work.

:The Camera Obscura {aside from being the name of one of my favorite bands} is an optical device that projects the image of its surroundings onto a screen using a hole. The earliest know account of a camera obscura being used was from 5th century BC. They became popular devices during the 19th century when they were installed at tourist destinations and seaside resorts -- a precursor to movie theaters!

:Like the Black Mirror, the Camera Lucida was used as a drawing aid by artists. It creates an optical superimposed image of the subject being viewed on the surface the artist draws upon. A bit like cheating, no?

:The Magic Lantern was a very popular form of entertainment in the Victorian period. Magic lantern shows were the combination of projected images, live narration, and live music. Some lanterns had up to three lenses, which allowed for the creation of various special effects. I'm certain I would be totally mesmerized by this even today!

:The Phantasmagoria was probably as terrifying as it sounds...particularly to unsuspecting old ladies! This was also called "Pepper's Ghost Effect" and it was often used in theater productions during the 1800's. Victorians were notoriously obsessed with death and the supernatural, so clever theater managers began using a modified magic lantern to incorporate images of ghosts and skeletons into their productions. The projectors were mobile, so the operator could create the illusion that the ghost was moving around the stage.




:The Zoopraxiscope was an invention by the photographic genius Eadward Muybridge. The zoopraxiscope projected images from rotating glass disks in rapid succession to give the impression of motion -- an early precursor to film!

::If you find these objects as fascinating as I do, you really must treat yourself to a visit to The Richard Balzer Collection to see an amazing collection of optical devices in action / And how about this fascinating tidbit: In 2001, artist David Hockney's book Secret Knowledge: Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters argued that great artists of the past, such as Ingres, Van Eyck, and Caravaggio did not work freehand, but were guided by optical devices {via}. Shocking!

Book Crush: Persephone Press

I have a new book crush {do you get book crushes?}. Persephone Press is a London-based press that specializes in neglected and relatively unknown female prose and fiction writers from the 19th and 20th centuries. Their selection of titles is like a treasure chest of forgotten literary jewels. And each book is like a little piece of art work unto itself. The jackets are all the same from the outside -- a lovely understated gray, with classic cream labels. But, the interior of each title features a design that evokes the time and place of the words inside: Victorian, Art Nouveau, modern, etc. I want to read every single book in their catalog, from beginning to end...you know, in all my spare time...*wink*

::Check out their lovely online shop here. They provide a brief biography for each of their fascinating authors, as well!

"What are we supposed to do now? Everything is still night!"

Everyone seems to have a solution for fending off nightmares. When I posed the dilemma to a group of friends, I recieved so many varied responses -- some funny, some fascinating. Here are just a few I gathered:

• Drink warm milk.
• Or...cut dairy from your diet completely.
• Take a sleep aid, like Ambien or Lunesta.
• Put a dream-catcher by your bed.
• Keep a dream journal, and write down the dream as soon as you wake.
• Abolish guilt {perhaps nightmares are a product of guilt?}.
• Play relaxing music or a funny movie in the background.
• Keep a glass of half-full water on your nightstand -- an old wive's tale.
• Learn to wake yourself while dreaming, or train yourself to lucid dream.
• Be grateful that your dreams, rather than your life, are nightmarish!

I personaly like Nietzsche's bit of snarky wisdom on what to do when you wake up after a nightmare: "You ingrates! You should go to sleep again and dream better!"

::The images above are from the Coma pool on Flickr. Also check out Coma Magazine, to see more work from these amazing surrealist photographers...who seem to have a bit of experience with nightmares.