Magazine review, and oh why not, SFDs

[cupcake_goth]

I recently picked up an issue of Altered Couture Magazine. (Clicky-link!) One of my obsessions hobbies is modifying and customizing clothing, so I figured that Altered Couture would be Just My Thing. In reality? Not so much.

The magazine itself is gorgeous. Nicely printed on quality paperstock, good layout, clear photography, all that. But that clear photography is entirely of finished projects; there are no "how-to" shots at all. Also, the instructions they give for each item are pretty sparse. This is NOT a magazine for someone who is looking for guidance and hand-holding, it is much more a magazine for people who are already pretty DIY-savvy and are in need of inspiration and new ideas. But who apparently have never thought to go look around online, which is how I find new ideas for customizing clothing.

My other gripe with the projects showcased in the magazine are that most of them are of the deconstructed and "Look at me! I'm an Artistic and Bohemian Piece of Clothing! Marvel at my fingerpainted details!" design school. Which is a perfectly legitimate approach to modifying clothing, but I would prefer to see stuff that looks more finished and less "Arts and Crafts Class". Or that at least looks more punk-rock arts and crafts class, instead of suburban soccer mom.

So, I'm probably not going to buy another issue. But I AM tempted to submit something for their "Thrifty Ensembles" section. The submission guidelines for that are:

1. Visit a thrift store and purchase a complete outfit for no more than $20.


2. Take "before" photos of the outfit.


3. Alter the outfit a la Altered Couture so that it transforms into an art-to-wear outfit.


4. Write a brief description about the experience.


5. Submit the photos, altered outfit, and description.

"Art-to-wear"? Is there something about that phrase that seems overly precious and twee, or is it just me being cranky? And also, I'm not sure if they mean you have to send the outfit to them and you don't get it back, or something else. Anyway, I'm still amused by sending them a write-up of what *I* normally do to thrift store finds.

Speaking of thrift store finds^*, hey look! Shallow Fashion Details!

• Black granny boots.


• Pink & white striped knee-socks (being held up with pink and black satin sock garters), worn over pink tights.


• Knee-length full black wool skirt with a ruffled hem, worn over knee-length pink petticoats.


• White cotton ruffly high-collared blouse.


• Black stretchy waist cincher with lace trim.


• Waist-length double-breasted black wool jacket with a shawl collar.


• Jewelry: multiple strands of pink glass pearls, my antique pocket watch necklace, a pink and black skull cameo brooch on the lapel of the jacket, and the usual giant rings.


• Makeup and hair: hair worn down, YSL Touch Eclat, MAC "whistle" eyeshadow with "mothbrown" at the corners, black pencil under my eyes, black liquid liner on the top lids, DiorShow mascara, translucent powder, and Aromaleigh "grenadine" lipstick.

^*The boots, skirt, blouse, and jacket were all from assorted thrift shopping expeditions.

Comments

[theda.livejournal.com]

Didn't you find 'somewhere wonderful' to get those wide stretchy cincher belts?

I was trying to remember and find, but my searches aren't bringing up where you mentioned it..

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

eBay. http://stores.ebay.com/Exotica-Treasures_Belts-Accessories_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ6QQftidZ2QQtZkm

[savannarama.livejournal.com]

Somehow I missed hearing about this. How marvellous. How horribly tempting!

[water-of-fire.livejournal.com]

WHAT IS THIS??? Are they comfy? Relatively speaking?

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

They are comfy! I mean, I slightly prefer my stretchy Lip Service cinchers, but that's because those have honest-to-goodness busks in the front, which means less chance of the elastic rolling up. But the wide elastic cincher belts are fabulous.

[ex-fashioni.livejournal.com]

"Art-to-wear"? Is there something about that phrase that seems overly precious and twee, or is it just me being cranky?

Nope, that's precious and twee. *shudders*

Am also giggling at suburban soccer mom arts and crafts.

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

it would certainly throw them for a loop to get inundated with a lot of gothy submissions. :D

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

Magazine sounds right up my alley, but it's disappointing that they don't have any progress pics. Also too bad that it isn't sold anywhere near to me.

[noxenlux.livejournal.com]

craftster.org is doing a contest just like that currently ;)

[savannarama.livejournal.com]

That magazine looks delightful. I'd no idea someone would make a magazine so particular to such a pet costuming approach. It's quite pastel, but one could easily extrapolate into gothiness...

I imagine how-to's would be helpful, especially for the larger or more expensive undertakings, but I accept their challenge...

[poh.livejournal.com]

"Art-to-wear"? Is there something about that phrase that seems overly precious and twee

Like a Bjork/Tori Amos duet.

[water-of-fire.livejournal.com]

Oh, nicely put. I concur. Miss Jilli, to be frank, and I know this isn't exactly kosher considering my subcultural leanings, I find the whole DIY movement a little precious and twee in its... precious twee-ness.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Ha!

I am all for well-done modification to things, but the key there is well-done. None of this trying to pass off shoddy work and bad seams as "deconstructed", thankyouverymuch.

[qnonymous.livejournal.com]

I'm going to chime in here in favor of the deconstructed look. However, I agree that deconstructed does not mean poorly sewn with a fancy name so you don't feel like an abject failure post-project. I have a couple items that are weird transitional pieces that I constantly snip, stitch, and add to so they have a tendency to look a little iffy at times, but I can kind of get away with this by dint of my broken chromosome.

Now if only I could find things that weren't already worn to rags or simply hideous on my thrifting adventures I'd be in business.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I've seen some very nice deconstructed stuff. But so many of the items that label is applied to are just ... not-quite abject failures of execution, but certainly not done well.

(A confession: every time I try my hand at deconstructed items, they Just Don't Work. It's very vexing.)

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

I think "art-to-wear" is a legitimate form & not twee at all in many cases. Just bec. a few more-recent folks (esp. on, say, Etsy) have made it appear a bit precious doesn't speak for the whole movement. I think of ppl who were featured in The Costumer Maker's Art book & fiber artists & ppl who aren't exactly doing traditional couture but are experimenting with different media, everything from quilting to dyeing to reclaimed materials, & making one-off garments out of them.

Not to be self-important (ok, well, I am!), but I'd even extend that idea to my twisted historicals. And esp. to the outfits labricoleuse has created like that newspaper skirt ensemble, the xmas tree dress, & the hothouse flower skirt in her portfolio. Just for a few examples.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

You're right, "art-to-wear" is a legitimate form, and probably isn't twee all the time. But the impression that this magazine manages to give is pretty goddamn twee.

Ooooh, I should take a look through labricoleuse's portfolio. She does such impressive work.

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

I looked at Altered Couture, but yes, soccer mom. I couldn't see a reason to buy it. Strangely enough, though, Belle Armoire (http://www.stampington.com/html/Belle_armoire.html)--despite being described as another "art to wear" mag, appealed enough to me to become a purchase.