Oppenheimer - Played by Cillian Murphy

Male to Female Transformations In Movies

Cillian Murphy -"Oppenheimer"

Reality check: The movie Oppenheimer did not have any MtoF transformations.  However there was a transformation that Cillian Murphy orchestrated into likely the top leading man of 2023.  There were few scenes that he did not appear or own, for over 3 hours 7 minutes. Truly one of the top dramas of the year, if not longer. A worthy draw to get us back into theaters and I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen. 

Oppenheimer is not Cillian Murphy first screen appearance. Other films include, 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' (2003), 'Sunshine' (2007), 'Batman Begins' (2005), 'Breakfast on Pluto' (2005) and others. (The 12 Best Cillian Murphy Movies).

Without question my favorite is "Peacock" (2010). Mentioned in "Collider" as one of the top 25 Transformations.  See my 2018 Blog synopsis, "Peacock - The Movie":

 

Have you ever wanted to put an end to your other identity? What part would you be ending even if you could separate them?  The movie Peacock (2010) staring Cillian Murphy (Breakfast on Pluto), Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman and many other Oscar winners, tells a story of a man suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder or multiple personality disorder, as it was previously know (MPD). In my opinion, to equate this to just MPD is a stretch. I see a man who is transgender trying to understand why there is also a female component of his personality that is demanding to exist. He relegates her into a "denial world", as many of us have also done

Cillian Murphy- Breakfast on Pluto (2005)

Feminine Differential - Flare vs Skinny Jeans

What is best for you?

Here are two jeans styles I have tried recently.  They both fulfilled my basic "feminine differential" requirement, being that they are pull-on; no front zipper. I have come to love this style, as the fit / feel is great and with a high rise design,  they provide a smooth front. These have quickly become my favorite.  

Not Your Kid's Bell Bottoms
 

This style have evolved for the leggings into jeggings, which are made from stretchy jeans denim.  Legging were never meant to be pants in my opinion. Although, on most all trips to the market they are clearly worn that way.  They are to revealing, however, with longer tops the embarrassing "girl / boy" bits are out of sight; done correctly, unmistakably feminine.  

So the remaining question is "flare or skinny"? The Paris Woman fashion blog has these suggestions:

Skinny jeans have been around for ages, but the style has taken on a new identity with the flared jeans trend. Unlike the classic jean, flared jeans are flattering on most bodies. They have a loose fit and a bell-shaped silhouette, and they don’t cut the natural lines of the legs. However, there are some key differences between skinny jeans and a pair of flared jeans.

Flared jeans are more comfortable and flattering for taller women. While bootcut jeans are slimmer and more fitted through the thigh, flared jeans are broader from knee to hem. Regardless of the style, flared jeans are still a popular choice for younger women. Those who are a little worried about mud or water can even choose between a straight leg and a wide flare leg cropped pair.

See also this YouTube for more "body fitting" suggestions.    

The right and WRONG jeans fit for YOUR shape
 (straight, flare, boyfriend, or... skinny?)

The above fashion layout has:

 "Macy's - HIPPIE ROSE Juniors' V-Neck Button-Front Long-Sleeve Top"

"Macy's - I.N.C. Women's High Rise Flared Pull-On Jeans"

 "Amazon's -  H&C Women's Stretchy High Waist Slim Fit Skinny Leg Pull On Jean with Long or Short Inseam"

Inflammatory Rhetoric

 

Ron DeSantis didn’t listen. No wonder Jacksonville booed him

Opinion by Noah Berlatsky 8/28/2023

Three people were killed on Saturday in a Jacksonville Dollar Store by a racist white man who said he “hated black people” and decorated his weapon with swastikas. Governor Ron DeSantis tried to speak at a vigil for the murdered victims, but was roundly booed. 

Florida state representative Angie Nixon responded to the community’s anger, saying “at the end of the day, the governor has blood on his hands.”

Nixon is right. DeSantis, and the GOP, have created a climate where violent, racist terrorists have the means and inspiration to commit horrific acts of violence against Black people and other marginalized communities. An increasingly rabid gun rights movement has been cultivated, and with it rabid racist rhetoric, because of what? A political advantage to capitalize on paranoia and hate. And when followers are fed this diet, the result is a political movement that encourages acts of racist political violence.

DeSantis, who is running for the GOP presidential nomination, has placed himself on the extreme right of the party. That means he has enthusiastically embraced both guns and racism. In April, he signed a law allowing people in Florida to carry concealed guns without a permit.

Ron DeSantis at Jacksonville vigil

He’s been even more notorious nationwide for his legislative attack on the teaching of Black history. DeSantis claims that teaching lessons about racism makes white students feel “uncomfortable” – an inflammatory argument that suggests even speaking about Black people’s experiences harms white children. DeSantis’ anti-history dictate resulted in banning AP African-American history in the state. The NAACP responded by issuing a travel advisory for Florida. “Under the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans,” said NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson.

...  Read More 

[Angie] Nixon believes that DeSantis has been engaged in an attack on the Black community. “We have repeatedly told him what his rhetoric was going to do,” she said. But DeSantis didn’t listen. Instead, he doubled down. Based on his statements and his actions, he wants his followers to believe that Black people, Black history, and Black existence are a threat. He wants them to think that guns are a solution to every threat. And as long as that’s the case, Florida is going to see more horrific racist murders like those in Jacksonville.

Read more in the MSN article "Gov. Ron DeSantis, known for pro-gun and 'anti-woke' policies, booed at vigil for Black Jacksonville shooting victims"

Labels Are Detrimental

By Rhonda Williams

We need to stop with all the labels and accept our individual reality.  

Many of my blog posts deal with advice from women to women (us). Others are about dressing and differentiating a masculine / feminine appearance; being visible. We relate to the success stories about being a woman or feminine person living a full uncompromised life. See my "Effeminate vs Feminine" where I discuss myself.  

"I am what I am". 

Many of the modern labels distance us from the life we live or the life we want to live. These labels have baggage and have become politicized. To accept a marginalized category only plays into the "got-you" stigmatizing of us. 

By accepting that we are "Women" or men who enjoy femininity, "Feminine men", then we have accepted that labels have no power over us. As Popeye said it best "I am what I am." 

Bullies, either on the playground or in state legislatures love to call marginalized groups by names / labels. It reinforces their perceived superiority just as the "N" word labeled an enslaved population. Labels marginalize and dehumanize.   

Transgender has become the "N" word of the day. The ACLU is tracking 494 anti-LGBTQ bills in 49 states, almost all targeted to marginalize the "T" community. Some of the bills passed address an issue that did not even exist in that state.  

According to the Pew Center, about 5% of young adults in the U.S. say their gender is different from their sex assigned at birth. According to the UCLA Williams Institute only .48% of the US population identify as transgender; 1.6 million. So much negative energy aimed at so few; a clear bullying MO.  

We can no longer remain silent. Bullies relish the fact that we are willing to cower. We have the power to stand strong and accept who we are. "Transgender" has become a "dog whistle" for the conservative-right to focus on "political correctness" (woke / aka empathy) gone astray. Let us change the narrative. 

It is putting down all women to marginalize a person who aspires to become or be known/seen as a woman.  Is being a women a bad thing or being a lesser person? If being/becoming a woman is too much for you, then accept the fact that you are a man who enjoys femininity; "a feminine man". Feminine men have been around for centuries in all cultures. Is there something wrong with femininity or loving fashion?  

Bullies use name-calling to justify their punitive dehumanizing actions. By accepting who/what we are, we force the bullies to unmask their prejudice and bigotry. Stand tall!  

Let's take away all the labels and force society to see us for what we are.  Let us ESCAPE being marginalized by made-up labels. "We the people..." applies to us just like everyone else. Let us take up the fight to eliminate labels that marginalized our individuality.

  

Political Week In Review 8-27-2023

 

A Lesson...

 

Can You Walk a Mile in Mark Bryan’s Louboutins?

By Evan Ross Katz
Photographed by Mark Peckmezian
Styled by Dogukan Nesanir March 2, 2021

This is a followup to my New York Post, "Married father of 3 wears skirts, heels to work because he can" 

Mark Bryan

By all accounts, Mark Bryan is an average, run-of-the-mill guy. The 61-year-old grandfather of four has been happily married to his wife for the past 11 years. In 2010, he moved from Texas to a town near Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, where he now works in robotics engineering and coaches a local football team. He loves cycling and fast cars and beautiful women, and he tries to exercise at least twice a week. Oh, and he looks great in a pencil skirt and a pair of six-inch stilettos. 

Bryan’s interest in women’s shoes started about 40 years ago, when he was dating a woman who also happened to be six feet tall. Feeling slightly emasculated, he discovered an unexpected workaround when he tried on his first pair of high heels, which he would continue to wear well past their break-up and into his marriage. (Bryan says his wife is supportive, but doesn’t like the newfound fame he has acquired by regularly cataloging his outfits on his popular Instagram account.) About five years ago, he began wearing heels, and an array of skirts of varying length, to work. Some commuters would gawk at him from across the train platform, others would cast wayward glances, none of it any bother to Bryan. “I’m at the age where I really don’t care what people think,” he says. “Either they like me or they don’t like me.”

Unlike, say, Harry Styles or Billy Porter, both of whom have been known to flaunt gender ambivalence in their style choices, Bryan offers something more… suburban: machismo up top and muliebrity from the waist down. Genderfuckery without subsversiveness. “People look at my pictures and they instantly assume I’m gay or something,” he says, unfazed. “I think what really gets me going are the people who say that I’m helping them see things the way that they’ve always wanted to see them, but were afraid to. As a football coach, I like helping young men develop not just as players, but as responsible members of society. Being able to help people through the problems they have actually helps me more than just the compliments that I’m looking good.” He pauses, smiling. “But those help, too.”

See More Photos here...

Have we said goodbye to high heels?

 

By Orla Pentelow 
Wed August 23, 2023

My Note: "Say it ain't so...."  

Point-toe flats were all the rage
at Prada's Fall-Winter 2023-2024
in Milan this February.

In the ever-shifting fashion sphere, where trends wax and wane with the changing seasons, one particular change has caught the eye of experts of late: a gradual decline in popularity of high heels. When was the last time you spotted a teetering stiletto?

Once synonymous with elegance and sophistication, the towering symbols of “femininity” have been making a quiet exit from the limelight, replaced by a new wave of comfort-driven options.

Could the pandemic hold the masterstroke that led to high heels’ demise? The altered course of our lives undoubtedly played a role in the downturn of the striking style.

Before the world stood still, high heels reigned supreme. These marvels of design not only elevated one’s stature but also evoked a sense of elegance that transcended mere clothing. High heels were billed as not just footwear but a gateway to confidence, allure, and a dash of untamed glamor.

“High heels alter body posture and create a distinctive walking style which can affect the way individuals carry themselves, promoting a more upright posture and enhancing perceived attractiveness and admiration from others,” Dr Carolyn Mair, cognitive psychologist and fashion business consultant, author of The Psychology of Fashion told CNN over email. ”This can contribute to feelings of confidence and a sense of being noticed and appreciated as feminine, glamorous, or professional.”

New priorities for a new way of life

Flats were abundant at Valentino's latest Fall-Winter
 2023-2024 couture show in Paris.

Yet, when the pandemic tightened hit, high heels receded from their prominent perch. Interest took a noticeable dip: sales of high heels dropped by 65% year-over-year during the second quarter of 2020, according to data from market research firm NPD Group. The culprit? A seismic shift in priorities induced by a new way of living. The siren song of comfort and practicality drowned out high heels’ allure.

A surge in remote work blurred boundaries between business and leisurewear; grand events shrank in number, replaced by the ascendancy of the athleisure trend.

“As a result of the pandemic, many of us prioritized wellbeing, comfort and practicality,” Mair told CNN. “The reduced opportunities to socialize and attend formal or dressy occasions and the widespread adoption of remote work led to the shift towards more casual attire.”

The question remains though. Did the pandemic really cause such a monumental change in high heels’ popularity or is the decline part of a larger trend?

“As society moves towards more egalitarian ideals, there is a rejection of rigidly defined femininity that associates high heels with the primary marker of femininity,” Mair told CNN. “This shift encourages us to embrace individuality, a broader range of expressions, and reject footwear that may limit mobility and comfort.”

Enter: The new vanguard of footwear — a fusion of style and comfort that didn’t compromise on either. The ubiquitous presence of sneakers, loafers, and block-heeled shoes has reshaped the landscape of women’s footwear choices.

Reflecting a new modernity

This is reflected in the rise in popularity of various “it” styles in recent years. Designer collaborations with Valentino, Proenza Schouler, and Rick Owens breathed new life into Birkenstock’s classic Arizona sandal — the style became a go-to for comfort over the pandemic, with searches increasing by 225% during the second quarter of 2020 according to Lyst. In 2023, searches for “chunky sneakers” and “black ballet flats” have increased by 70% and 71% respectively according to fashion industry analyst Madé Lapuerta of Data, But Make It Fashion.

The flat theme was ever-present on the Fall/Winter 2023 catwalks, too; pointed ballet pumps reigned at Prada and Balmain, Miu Miu and Loewe took loafers to the next level, and Burberry and Valentino streamlined sleek boots for the cooler months.

As we bid a temporary adieu to high heels, questions linger about their future trajectory. Will they stage a triumphant return, reaffirming their position as the epitome of allure?

“High heels are likely to remain a popular choice for special occasions such as parties and weddings,” says Mair.

The View From Florida - Tonight's Debate.

EDITORIAL: Republican first debate - DeSantis, candidates need to reclaim GOP values

My Note:  I am not ready to count the self-proclaimed  Emperor of Florida out yet.  Many see DeSantis circling the drain, however, he is still number two to Trump who may be a convicted felon before the Republican convention next summer. 

I believe that DeSantis's true colors have shown through, but as with many movie villains, never count them out until the final scene. (Remember "Fatal Attraction") The Palm Beach Post Editorial below highlights again the view from Florida discussing the top two candidates we have in the 2024 race. Let's hope better choices emerge before it is too late.

____________________

From The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board are the opinions of the Board, not of the Post newsroom.   

Tonight’s Republican debate in Milwaukee is not about who looks the most poised, hydrated or insect-free. It’s not about bluster, or who's quickest with a rehearsed retort. Tonight’s debate is about one thing. Values.  

Because there, the Republican party has a lot of explaining to do. We’ve seen its leaders set aside traditional conservative standards of fairness and rectitude and freedom from government interference, in favor of political expedience, even in the face of what they must know is wrong. 

Here in Florida, we’ve seen two of the candidates up-close who epitomize that behavior — and who lead the pack in the polls. We’ve known our Mar-a-Lago neighbor, former President Donald Trump, and his rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis, long enough to know that neither is worthy of the highest office in the land. The former has no moral compass. In the latter, what passes for a moral compass is cruelly miscalibrated. 

Trump has declined to participate in tonight’s debate. In his calculus, he’s so far ahead, he’d have nothing to gain from making himself a target for candidates crying out for a fraction of the attention that he can garner from counter-programming.  

No loss: We’ve already seen the horse medicine he sells. We’ve witnessed his well-earned impeachments, the dozens (91) pending felony counts, his professed admiration for dictators, from the genocidal Vladimir Putin on down. We’ve watched his stagecraft stir masses while his policies favor the wealthy. Those who see all this yet still support him, can’t be reached by reason; those in the political sphere won’t suddenly find courage to step outside the arc of his influence unless they have something to gain. 

Less known nationally is Gov. DeSantis, who many once imagined as a Trump without the trouble. But, many in his home state can testify he’s the opposite: 

• DeSantis has shamelessly redrawn congressional districts to diminish the voting power of African Americans. He signed laws that stir gender phobia in schools and which would marginalize whole sectors of society for political gain. And he has taken harsh revenge against those who opposed him, even one of Florida’s most respected and successful corporate residents, which dared to lend a modicum of public support to LGBTQ employees. 
  
  
• He has school districts banning books and courses. Public universities are being spun into an extremist maelstrom, academic independence swept aside for dogma. 
  
  
• His hyper-politicized war on Latino immigrants, despite the horrors they’re fleeing and notwithstanding his own family’s immigrant heritage, has seen armies of Florida law enforcers marched off to other states along the Mexico border; millions spent to deceive new arrivals to board flights from Texas to politically blue states on the pretext that some might have headed to Florida; and has seen many immigrant workers already here and sorely needed by Florida farmers, builders and hoteliers, gathering their families and rushing north to escape DeSantis’ grasp. 
  
  
• Our Governor has signed laws that would in effect ban abortion in Florida, severely restricting women’s rights to make decisions governing their own bodies and health. (He’s not alone in that. Planned Parenthood this week noted that Republicans Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Trump have also voiced support for a national abortion ban.) 
  
  
• DeSantis has done all of the above while spending little time on climate-change solutions that demand urgent attention in a state that's barely above sea level.
  
  
•  He has used the crisis of soaring property insurance premiums as an excuse to hand the insurance industry its holy grail of virtual immunity from litigation — but without finding ways to restrict the rates Florida homeowners must pay. That’s incomprehensible, if only because those shocking rate increases rates will haunt his candidacy as they sink in, the closer to Election Day we come. 

So let’s take a look at all the candidates seeking the GOP nomination. How quick were they to speak out against Trump’s misogyny, bigotry, lies about the election he lost, the court losses of so many of his hired hands, the pending charges for RICO, fraud and yes, secret documents at Mar-a-Lago? What do the candidates have to say about all that now? What conservative values do they promise to reclaim? 

We’re listening. 

   

Tips For Women In Transition

 
From someone who's gone through it.

BY COREY RAE   JULY 14, 2021 1:30 PM

As fall weather is (almost) upon us, we begin to refocus and change our wardrobe for the cooler times ahead. Fashion trends today come and go just as fast as summer does, and it can be hard to keep up with what to wear—especially if you’re transgender and beginning a physical transition. And as a transgender woman who can’t get enough of fashion herself, I’m here with some fall fashion tips for trans women in transition.

Of course, becoming so confident with fashion and honing my personal style didn’t happen overnight. In the fall of 2009, I began transitioning when my mom kindly offered me her clothes to wear. She and I have very different body types; she’s shorter with a beautiful hourglass figure, while I’m a bit taller and lankier. Her clothes on my body made me look androgynous, which was a great first step for me because I lived in a cookie-cutter town where no one even knew what “transgender” meant—yet. At first I wore her jeans (which were baggy on me) and her long-sleeved shirts and cardigans (most of which were too tight, too small in the armholes or didn’t flatter my undeveloped chest.)

While my hair grew longer over the course of the next seven months, we bought androgynous shoes, I donned a simple necklace and eventually wore mascara. That spring, I also started wearing a bra stuffed with pads I took from a high school fashion show I walked in. By May, I felt validated and seen for the first time by my classmates when I wore a dress to prom and became the first openly transgender girl to be voted Prom Queen.

During that first year of my transition, there was so much going on for me socially, emotionally, mentally and physically. I had started hormone blockers that winter and the next year I started estrogen. I learned a lot about my body and how hormones can affect your everyday life then. I was excited for the changes happening, but finding clothes that suited how I felt on the inside became uncomfortable and difficult.

I already hated dressing a body I didn’t identify with, and now I had to dress one that also got hot flashes, chest and back acne, easily greasy hair and oily skin. Eventually those side effects subsided, but during the first few years of transitioning, this took a toll on my confidence and general state of well-being. 

My friends made me feel better by giving me their old clothes and shoes—but none of those pieces reflected my own personal style. Looking back, I was lucky enough to have my mom there to help style me. And now, after having learned the importance of developing your own unique sartorial identity, I’m paying it forward by helping you navigate your own transition, too.

Here, my top fall fashion tips for those transitioning, plus tons of street style inspo.

Cory has 6 great fashion tips with photos.  See them here...

Her Conclusion:  

Now that you have an idea of what to wear, I urge you to seek out clothes that will make you feel your absolute best! Remember: This transitional period is for YOU. It’s important to know that no two transitions are the same, so move forward at your own pace. Give yourself time to find your own personal style—it doesn’t have to be right away! What matters most is that you’re comfortable and safe. If you can stay true to those two things, you’ll be on your way to your most authentic and beautiful self. Happy shopping!

Sexual Differentiation - A Medical Discussion

The human hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation

PMID: 34238476 DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-820683-6.00031-2

My Note: The paragraphs below are an abstract from a Medical Journal's published article. The Science Digest link above will take you to more information and provide the option to purchase the PDF of the complete research paper; $31.50. 

This looks like important scientific research, debunking the "choice / hate scenario" of the political right. What I have shown below only scratches the surface of the research paper and even if I had available the whole article, I am not sure I could decipher it. Hopefully someone can help us understand more... 

    

Abstract:

Gender identity (an individual's perception of being male or female) and sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality) are programmed into our brain during early development. During the intrauterine period in the second half of pregnancy, a testosterone surge masculinizes the fetal male brain. If such a testosterone surge does not occur, this will result in a feminine brain. As sexual differentiation of the brain takes place at a much later stage in development than sexual differentiation of the genitals, these two processes can be influenced independently of each other and can result in gender dysphoria. Nature produces a great variability for all aspects of sexual differentiation of the brain. Mechanisms involved in sexual differentiation of the brain include hormones, genetics, epigenetics, endocrine disruptors, immune response, and self-organization.

Furthermore, structural and functional differences in the hypothalamus relating to gender dysphoria and sexual orientation are described in this review. All the genetic, postmortem, and in vivo scanning observations support the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria, i.e., it is the sizes of brain structures, the neuron numbers, the molecular composition, functions, and connectivity of brain structures that determine our gender identity or sexual orientation. There is no evidence that one's postnatal social environment plays a crucial role in the development of gender identity or sexual orientation.

...Permanent structural and functional differences in the brain resulting from the interaction of developing brain cells with genes, sex hormones, and other chemical compounds are the basis of sex differences in reproduction, gender role (behaving as a man or a woman in society), gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Conclusions:

Up to the 1980s it was thought that a child's behavior was made male or female by postnatal social influences [or choice]. In the 1960s and 1970s this incorrect concept led to immediate operations of newborns with indeterminate sex organs, with the idea that the social influence would work best on gender identity when the environment was not in doubt. This misconception has ruined many lives due to ignorance of intrauterine sexual differentiation of the brain. The presence or absence of testosterone is a...

Proof of Femininity - The Value of Early Photos

Photos 1982-1985

By Rhonda Williams

Polaroid Automatic 100 Land Camera
I still have it 

My Early "Escape" adventures were to prove to myself that I could realistically present as feminine.  Early-on I used my trusted Polaroid Camera (no camera shop processing required) to take B/W photos using a self-timer. The small photos were never convincing.

Working up enough courage I ventured into a small photo studio in Tampa while on a business trip. I needed professional quality photos. I do not remember what lame cover story I used on the photographer / owner that day, but he said yes. Shocked, and before I could loose my nerve, I hurried back to my hotel to change. 

This was one of Rhonda's (although she was not yet named) first public Escapes.   

A little side story: The owner / photographer wanted to learn about the new personal computers of the day, so we traded services and became fast friends in the process.  Whenever I was in Tampa with a new outfit, we worked together setting up programs on his IBM PC jr. and doing a photo shoot. Years later he switched careers and became a network administrator of a large company.  

Playing with Double Exposure

Best of all, sometimes he would have outfits left over from modeling shoots that I got to try.  Also he could experiment with different techniques and his studio lighting to find what worked best. This was all before Photoshop.    .    

All of my early Rhonda photos were taken by Stan and I will be forever grateful for his acceptance and friendship. His studio became my "Escape" haven and place where Rhonda build her confidence. 

Still lacking courage to be out, after the each photo shoot. I headed back to my motel to change. I was a few years away for being among civilians. However, my courage was growing as I studied each photo. I cherish these early photos as each one tells a story of emergence. 

What was your epiphany,"Proof of Femininity", moment? 

 

1982 - "Tootsie"
My first professional Photo 

Note:  Check out my "Before and After" double-exposure on Stana's Way.  (Femulate)  This was one of my early photos from the era of experimentation. .  

Political Week In Review 8-20-2023

 

Actual Front Page

The official song of Trump's and allies  Georgia experience.

Today Is Your Choice...

 

Fun Friday - Skort (Revisit)

Boston Proper - Denim Pull On Skort

 

Abby alerted me to Boston Proper's Denim Pull-On Skort a few weeks back after my "A Classic Everyday Look - Fun Friday". Her comment:

Boston Proper has a denim skort in the exact same color on greatly reduced price today. Mine is well-made and comfortable to wear all day.

Thank you Abby and you were right on the price. I paid just 24.99 each for the Denim and Fandango Pink colors. The color is listed as pink, however, it is also a good match for my "TALBOTS CINCHED SHOULDER BATEAU NECK TEE" in a color listed as red.   

These two skirts are the best fitting and most stylish, from a casual perspective, of almost any other skirt in my closet. There are so many tops I can style these with.  Off-the-shoulder Lilly works and i have a perfect denim jacket that work with a white top, as shown above.    

Both are the perfect length for me and the elastic waist fits wonderfully; very forgiving.  The gathered waist is perfect with a blouse style top or it works very well with a belt.   

I appreciate all of your comments so much and please share whenever you see something (news/fashion) or just want to vent. We are family. The only comments I do not post are the ones with embedded advertising. 

Barbie Pink - The Color of Summer '23

 

Barbie has taken this summer by storm.  In fact, the Wall Street Journal declared "The Summer of Barbie’ Has Only Just Begun".  ( CNN: ‘Barbie’  Becomes Warner Bros.’ biggest movie ever at the American box office' $536 million)

With more than 100 brand collaborations underway, including ‘Ken’ shirts from Gap and hot-pink pool floats from Target, Mattel isn’t letting anyone forget that the movie is here. And a blockbuster hit.

Barbie is everywhere — literally. From Target to Bloomingdale's, you can’t escape this summer’s Blonde Ambition tour. Barbie robes. Barbie roller blades. Barbie candles. Barbie toothpaste and toothbrush sets. Barbie platform shoes. Barbie nail polish. Barbie Xbox accessories. Barbie Crocs (yuck). 

The pink-hued list goes on and on.

Mattel, the toy company behind the anatomically incorrect doll, has licensed nearly 100 brand partnerships to promote the new Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. 

So do I have any pink in my closet? You bet!  The two skirts above are "Vintage Lilly". Plus, I know the zoo print Lilly wrap skirt goes back to the last century ('90); timeless. So happy I kept it. I have several plain cotton pink t-shirts and at least one that can be worn off-the-shoulder. The Etta Scoopneck Top  on the left is current on the Lilly site. 

My only new addition to honor Barbie '23 are the Bernardo Lilly Fuchsia Sandals. I got these on sale at "Tootsies" in Stuart.  What a cute name for a woman's shoes store and nail spa. Although flats are not my favorite shoes style, these are so cute and practical. 

The "Rhonda" Barbie
Coming to a store near you soon.

I attended an event earlier in the summer and there was a photo Barbie box. Only wish I had worn pink.   

My note on the Barbie Movie: I saw it about a week after its opening and it is so worth seeing. A female empowerment theme (how can we disagree with that) and so cute outfits everywhere.  Look closely, there is a transgender Barbie. A must see - wear pink.  

Here is a more in-depth review at "High Heels In The Wilderness -  My Visit to Barbieland".  I am so jealous, she got 55 comment on her post.  OK, tell me what you thought of your Barbieland visit?

  - 

Margot Robbie

Men's Skirts Are Ready for the Mainstream

 Welcome to the era of masculine midis, minis, and maxis.

By Trishna RikhyPUBLISHED: MAR 28, 2023

Thom Browne Spring/Summer
2018 fashion show.

We've been building up to this moment for years. We've seen it percolating on fashion runways and bubbling up in the cooler corners of fashion capitals around the world. We've watched it infiltrate red carpets and social media feeds. And now we can say, without skirting around it at all (ha!), that skirts for men are officially ready to enter the mainstream.

Let's be clear: This isn't to say that skirts for men are new in any capacity. Men have been wearing them for centuries, all the way back to the days of tartan kilts—and well before that, too. Even in modern men's fashion, designers have been pushing long, pleated, kilt-like designs for decades. Names like Raf Simons, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Rick Owens have sent male models in skirts down runways since the ‘90s. And in 2007, Thom Browne, who is now all but synonymous with “skirts for men,” sent his first male model in a skirt down the runway.

Brad Pitt wears Haans Nicholas Mott
 to the Bullet Train red
 carpet screening in Berlin.

What's changed is that a guy wearing a skirt no longer feels radical. Sure, sartorial envelope-pushers like A$AP Rocky and Kid Cudi have worn skirts. But so have comparatively reserved dressers like Oscar Isaac and Brad Pitt. In fact, so many celebrities, influencers, and early adopters have embraced the garment that it's (slowly) becoming, well, just normal.

“It wasn’t to make a statement,” Browne says of his first men's skirt. “It was something that felt right to me at the moment—a continued evolution of the gray suit in a new proportion and silhouette.”

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"I think, once newsworthy, skirts on men are now acceptable in more places," says Michael Fisher, the celebrity stylist behind Oscar Isaac's skirted Thom Browne look at the Moon Knight premiere last year. "The key is to own it."

"Menswear dress codes continue to loosen up and become more personal," says Fisher. "Skirts seem to pop up every few years in different forms—like wraps or kilts—but this time they are here to stay as a legit option."

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My Note:  When I wear a skirt it is not to display a masculine version of the skirt.   My desire is to look feminine or at least have some feminine differential as when I wear jeans.  Although interesting and maybe a "breaking barriers" moment, I do not think this will do much for our transgender acceptance or androgynous fashion. Until toxic masculinity is seen for what it is, The Fascists Republican party will see this as just another liberal attack on manhood.        

A Special Evening at The Box Gallery Opening

 

 Attending the Box Gallery Grand Re-opening

Photo with Rolando the Gallery owner and my Grandson

I had an invitation to a well established West Palm Beach Art Gallery, grand re-opening. I have known the gallery's owner, Rolando Chang Barrero, for many years and he is well known for his eclectic gallery collections. Rolando's new space grand opening is a sold out, mid-summer event.   

The Box Art Gallery is thrilled to unveil its new location with the highly-anticipated "Florida! See it Like a Native" exhibition. To mark this momentous occasion, the gallery is proud to announce the three distinguished members of the jury who will curate this captivating showcase of Florida's vibrant art scene. 

The "Florida! See it Like a Native" exhibition aims to celebrate the rich and diverse artistic heritage of the Sunshine State, paying homage to the talent and creativity of local artists. The jury carefully selected 26 Florida artists that reflects the true essence of Florida's artistic expression.

 Café L’Europe In Palm Beach

The outfit above is likely way to young for me.  However, for this wine reception, event, it did work perfectly. The skirt is Amazon's "Stretchy Flared Casual Mini Skater Skirt" and was only $14.75; worth the try. The shoulder draping scoop-neck top from Talbots' several season back and the heels  are my trusted Coach pumps. This outfit was inspired by a Pinterest, Beth Chappo Blog photo.  I will try the strip top for another evening. 

After attending the opening my grandson and I had dinner at the elegant Cafe L’Europe In Palm Beach.  During dinner my friend David Crohan from my old Palm Beach Piano Guild days was playing and I introduced my grandson.  A very special evening. Here is a little about David:

My photo of David Crohan
from a Palm Beach Piano Guild Concert 

Renowned up and down the eastern seaboard, pianist David Crohan has entertained everyone from Presidents and First Ladies to celebrities. From Rhode Island to Martha’s Vineyard to Palm Beach David continues to thrill with his enormous repertoire. He has been a beloved entertainer at Cafe L’Europe for the past 20 years.