The X-Files X File.

In the midst of the resurgence of 90s fashion it seemed only fitting to review the costumes of a piece so quintessentially 90s. One of the joys of being home has no doubt been the discovery of my parent's netflix account. While the costumes are not high-fashion, I believe the intentionality of each piece is about as subtle as the action sequences. Like many who have come before I am fascinated and drawn to the sometimes hokey nature of the show.

Trench coat, gun, flash light and transformation is complete. 

The dominating costume piece is undoubtedly the almost uniform long black trench coat. In a sea of balding white men even Skully blends in with her matching coat. I was unconvinced of the significance of the coat until an episode in which while on vacation Skully covers her casual clothing with the cloak as she takes on the persona of Agent Skully. A coat which is tucked away in her trunk until she is reluctantly sucked into an investigation in a small New England Town.
As an aspiring costume designer I am usually quite fascinated by the differences between costume design for theater versus costume design for television, I feel that film falls more between the two then distinctly on either side. The X-Files was in a unique position. The paranormal plot lines created an interesting opportunity. Alongside the contemporary professional wear of its protagonists, and the distinct 90s day wear of the 'middle of nowhere America' they encounter, is this fantastical world. This world commissions its own elaborate effects, and theatrical ensembles. However, the great success is keeping everything so pedestrian until the last moment. When that monster finally rears it's ugly head, you know the next cut will be one you view between your fingers.

Episode 'Arcadia' offers a great example of this juxtaposition of normal and paranormal.

While the writing lacks real suspense, the theatricality is enough to get a heart racing. Despite the contemporary professional wear, the stylization of the camera shots and even the acting seems to me like something out of a 1930s pseudo-noir murder mystery. An attempt which I believe is only aided by the before mentioned trench coats. Unlike a lot of other television programs I have seen, I noticed that the X-Files uses costume design tactics that I normally attribute just to theater. I believe that the costumes helped the overall production of the show to challenge norms established by shows within its genre by bringing a little bit of theater to the silver screen.

A Not So Inactive Swarthmore Alum

This blog post will be a bit of a deterant from my intention for this blog. I hope in publishing it I may further my argument that it is possible to care about the world and fashion. The two passions are not mutually exclusive. I was apart of a group called Mountain Justice at my college that took it upon themselves to do what they could as students to aid environmental activisim. We came to the conclusion that by targeting the institutions endowment, as a financial supporter of the extractive industry, we could bring about change in a very real way. The group has recently made headlines, and I cannot express how proud of them that I am. I have not been very diligent in my help from the outside, but when I received an envelope from the alumni office with a packet detailing the beauty of giving back, I sat down and wrote a letter I had been meaning to write for some time. I also want to welcome any person to use this letter in any manner that they see fit.

So here it is.

In the hopes that I can add something to the google search when people are looking up Swarthmore College.

Dear Swarthmore College Alumni Office,

        I would be happy to support this institution with whatever meager funds I had if I felt that it currently upheld the noble morals it tries to impart to its students.

If there is one important lesson I have learned from this institution-to be sure there are many- it is the political significance of a dollar bill. I am expressing my right as a citizen and voicing my opinion as a member of the alumni community.

        We can no longer stand in the Ivory tower and criticize the operation of other institutions without critically looking at our own. It is the definition of hypocrisy to hold others to the moral standards we ourselves do not abide to.

         Swarthmore Mountain Justice’s campaign has met with pessimistic response. Some of the items brought up were valid questions. However much of the discussion has been clouded by circuitous argument, or the revisiting of issues that have already been raised and answered. I am not advocating for blind support, nor am I writing on behalf of this group. I only intend to use their campaign, and my experience with the group as an important influence on how I understand the issue at hand.

        The problem is not disagreement, but an unwillingness to try out new options. When we are presented with a challenge are we not taught to create solutions that are then to be tested out? When has it ever been taught that we should sit back and wait for problems to sort out themselves? Since the 1970s- some cases go back even further- people have been trying to fight climate change and mankinds inclination to exploit their finite natural resources. Yet we still find ourselves in the position we are in, and our tactics have not changed much. Why do we continue to do the same things and expect different results? Because we are academics, and as long as our comfort is not at risk we continue to fight for the oppressed and voiceless from a distance. We take note of the erratic weather, but it does not disrupt our studies, we still have the ability to import bananas from South America and light the countless unused rooms on campus. We congratulate ourselves on using LED light bulbs but don’t get at the real root of the problem. A bandage may hide the effects of gangrene for a time, but it does not cure the body. It cannot.

        I cannot say that I believe that global warming will stop the moment Swarthmore College divests from these industries. The damage there is already done, now we are gambling with the amount of time we want left. The status quo, though, is not enough. The Green Movement cannot match the exponential speed at which climate change is occurring. As the largest consumers of these products, we have the privilege of being sheltered from the irreversible damage we are causing. I understand there is no need to persuade anyone of the reality of climate change. What is astounding is that with our collective understanding there is still a hesitation to do something productive about it.

        So I am taking a stand. It is the only move I have as far as Swarthmore is concerned, but I hope that it has the potential to encourage someone else to evaluate their position and the potential power therein. I understand that a dollar has the potential to speak louder than any human with a megaphone. So I am lobbying for our survival.

        I know that this office does not control this decision, but in whatever small way it will be affected by it. This school instilled in me the importance of feedback. So here it is. As there was no form inside of the envelope I decided to give my two cents. Figuratively obviously.

        

        Until Swarthmore divests from the industries that make a profit off of destroying this planet, I cannot invest in Swarthmore.

Call me crazy, but making a gamble against the survival of this planet seems like a poor investment.

sincerely,

Ryane

An Unlikely Alliance

While I often enjoy playing sports my skill leaves much to be desired. On the field I find myself tripping over the thought of tripping over my own feet. This has always been a trait of mine. While my reflexes are sharp- my arms soon learned that stairs were too complicated a concept for my feet to understand- this ability to catch myself before I fall has never translated into anything substantial on the turf. To my own amusement, and the chagrin of my teammates I continue to accept offers when they are apprehensively given.
Inspite of all this I have developed a fondness for sneakers. It first started when I saw my favorite blogger, Ivania Capiro of  LOVE AESTHETICS, donning a new pair of running shoes she had surprisingly incorporated into her everyday look. I was curious, but did not take action. Instead I allowed it to mull in my head, and when walking down the streets of New York I took notice more often of awesomely put together sneaker ensembles.
Until one morning as I was running quite late out the door I grabbed a pair of maroon nikes I had gotten at a clothing swap my friend had organized. At the moment I wasn't sure what possessed me but I grabbed my hat and a khaki coat and ran out the door. After photographing this outfit I see its creation not to be a complete happenstance but a result of the gestation of too many images on too many street style blogs. Most 'fashion conscience' and non-concerned alike will unabashedly admit to a fascination and jealously of what appears to be the effortlessly cool stylings of the French women who breeze through life from one fashion tent to another. My core/aura is a casual-mess I have no real hope of giving off such an effortless vibe. But I can say without explicit intention that may have been what I was most influenced by. I somehow felt pulled together by a pair of sneakers. The amusement of it all may be the most delightful part.
It's funny to think how much we can pull out of such small moments of our lives. Because, of course, we are all making this shit up as we go. I now find myself, however, in a very serious predicament. Without any real funds to spare I am desperately lusting after a pair of black and gold adidas sambas. The awkward ten year old, new to the soccer field, still lives on inside me and she wants some funky shoes to spunk up her step.

D.I.Y. Chilly Armz Shirt

It's a texture mash-up. Something I have noticed this season is the attention paid by designers to texture. Especially the mixing of them. While I sometimes feel tired of the peacoat/fur coat with leather sleeves look, I'm still not over it. In fact while my eyes are rolling at the countless reincarnations I am often, simultaneously, adding the image to that portfolio in the brain of coats I covet.
In a late night craft extravaganza, I decided to put this trend to the test. Lacking leather, and the funds to procure it, I decided to dig into the bag of clothing I have been attempting to get rid of to see what I had to work with.
I found one sad and unflattering sweater, and one men's oxford. Feeling like Frankenstein I decided to mix my own textures.
If your heart can warm your chest but not your arms, this is the project for you.

Materials
* An Oxford- I would recomend using a shirt and sweater in similar sizes. Matching up the armholes was a bit of a challenge and I ended up having to do a significant amount of hand sewing to make up for the extra shirt fabric. 

* One Knit Sweater- It is important that it is knit. This way the sleeves will be attached separately making it easier to remove. Also knits are chunkier thus creating a more noticeable texture confrontation.                                            

* Scissors

* Trusty Seam Ripper

*Needle

*Thread

Step One
Remove sleeves from both the sweater and the shirt. For the shirt you can cut right along the sleeve seam. If you are using a men's shirt do not worry about cutting off some of the shirt, the shoulders are proportionately longer and I would even recommend shaving some of them off.
For the sweater be really careful not to rip any of the sleeve stitches. There should be one or two pieces of yarn sewn through to attach it. Take your time with this part, an undone sleeve stitch could cause the whole sleeve to come apart.

Step Two
Pin the sweater sleeves to the body of the shirt. I started by pinning the center bottom seam of the sweater sleeve to the underarm of the shirt and then I worked my way around to the top. The armholes were slightly larger on the shirt so I ended up compensating back at the underarm seam which also took in the sides of the shirt.

Step Three

Sew!

Step Four
Since my shirt previously belonged to my father I found that while fitting it on my body I needed to make some adjustments. As I mentioned before the shoulder length was too long so I made a fold facing inwards and tacked that down. I also found that after taking it in the pocket was oddly placed so I took out my seam ripper and let loose again. Hopefully you will not be greeted by the same fuzz I was privy to.

(The seam reached to  center back)

Step Five
This last part is optional. I decided I wasn't satisfied with a play on one trend. I decided to take on the fish tail hem, but in reverse. This turned out to be a bit more complicated then I had anticipated, my sewing machine and I have been at odds with each other as of late- my oppositions response has been a substantial amount of puckering. I ended up with a top suited for knotting in the front. Which is pretty darn pleasing to me.
It didn't seem like a complete post without the final result, which included full disclosure of the journey!

Sometimes you got to roll with the proverbial punches. For me, my favorite designs usually come about when things go awry.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Blade Runner, Accidental Predictions

I recently watched the movie Blade Runner, a film I had wished to see for some time. While it wasn't my initial intention to analyze the costumes,  I became fascinated with what I thought was an unprecentdented insight into future fashion for the Dystopic Film genre.

Renderings of the "future" are often dated by the same aesthetics as the time periods that create them. What I am saying here is nothing new, or insightful, but nonetheless a fact I find incredibly interesting. Any individual watching Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, were they familiar with the fashions and technologies of that time period, could most likely estimate the year that the film was made. The appearance of many tech inventions that we use today did not appear in representations of the future until these items were available on the market. Our imagination of the future- and the creation of this image for the silver screen- is often limited to what we encounter on a daily basis. Set, and costume designers are left to imagine what may come about, but they have to build off of something.

The reason that I am going off on an odd tangent is an attempt to introduce and begin to explain what it was I found so interesting about the costumes in Blade Runner. The costume designers Charles Knode and Micheal Kaplan achieved something many fashion editors cannot lay claim to. They were able to predict fashion styles twenty years into the future. The movie was filmed in 1982, but set in 2019. While the presence of the 1980s is strongly felt in parts of the set, prop, and costume design,  the costumes were not merely modernized or avant garde interpretations of contemporary 80s styles.

Today it is not uncommon to draw inspiration from other time periods when outfitting oneself. I might even go so far as to argue that style in the 2000s is marked more by a sense of nostalgia than anything else. Designers, show after show, reveal inspiration boards covered with images of it girls from the 50s and 60s.  Now, more so than any other time, it is acceptable to outfit yourself in your grandmother's teenage wardrobe.


When am I going to get to Blade Runner? I am a bit of a rambler. As most cat people are.






















What I first noticed about Blade Runner's costumes was the hair style of the female protagonist Rachel Turrell. It is so distinctly 40s. Beyond that her costumes are also reminiscent of the same time period. At one point she has on a two piece blue and white striped skirt and top with a neck tie. Under her blouse is an elegant chemise. Her fur coat, though futuristic in fabric choice, borrows a vintage silhouette for a new spin on a classic look. Her character for this reason is the most striking but there were other examples.






















Fast Forward a few decades in fashion and you have Daryl Hannah's character who looks like a reincarnation of Nancy Spungen. Her matted bleach blonde hair and messy black eye liner play to the cyber punks of the future. While the other android, the snake charmer who is played by Joanna Cassidy  is outfitted in what looks like some sort of homage to Barberella.

The inspiration for the men's costumes was a bit more period mashing. The fabric pattern on Harrison Ford's button-up shirts were more 70s and 80s, while his trench coat gave his silhouette a more film noir look. This was only strengthened during scenes in which the lighting was sparse. Eledon Tyrell also seemed a nostalgic character. He often appeared suited with a tuxedo shirt and bow tie. Overall his silhouette seemed more like a "futurized" 80s version then direct decade borrowing like some of the others.  Upon first glance the jacket of J.F. Sebastian, the man with all the toys, appears to have a rounded collar with wide round piping. Underneath he is wearing very utilitarian overalls. What is most interesting about this character is the costumes he has chosen for his own creations. Thus he reinforces the sense of nostalgia by outfitting some of them in what looks like uniforms of Generals from the first World War.

As I thought more about what these designers had created I was truly blown away by the mastery of it all. Looking back at similar films it is hard to imagine the reality that they are trying to create ever coming true. The outdated graphics come off as kitschy and the clothes look as if all innovation in society was focused on technology while aesthetics were frozen in place. I cannot say for certain whether or not it was the intention of the designers to make such a prediction, but the fact that there is some truth to it today, to me, speaks volumes of their work. Unlike any other period in fashion, there is no one silhouette contemporary clothes attempts to achieve. For now I do not see people abandoning their beloved vintage treasures. Hopefully fashion was the extent of the predictions, while I am fascinated by robots, I could do without the nuclear holocaust.