Tom Tierney's career as a paper doll artist began around the time I was born, so as a young person I reaped all the benefits of his work. Sadly, I found his works, that featured the designs of high fashion through the decade that truly inspired me, are not quite as popular as they once were. I bought several of them for a my friend who runs a vintage store, knowing she'd appreciate the detailed fashion illustration he was famous for – but when I went to Barnes and Noble, the clerk claimed that all the paper dolls were no longer being sold there.

Times change, I suppose, and the paper doll doesn't seem to have the same allure for little girls as it once did –?but Tierney's (which you can find at Amazon – take that B&N!) are still inspiring and make me a little more than nostalgic for days of sitting cross legged on the bedroom floor with my sister, pouring over images of Greta Garbo and Jean Harlow – draping them in fairly loyal illustrations of Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Erte, and Poiret. What a great man, to be putting that kind of glamour in the hands of children!

He says on his site:
“I feel that the most important thing about my paper doll books is that I am using the medium of the paper doll as an art form. To me, paper dolls can be more than just some 'cutsie' bit of fluff to be thrown at the children to perpetuate boredom. They can be artistic, vital, and alive and can tell us much about people, the clothes they wore, the way they lived and something of the times in which they lived.”

At age 70, he is still at it, and recently sold out of his Obama family book. He also has a new “New Attitude” Paper Doll Book coffe table book:

“You'll love this new deluxe edition of an underground classic. Meet 37 outrageous, sexy, glamorous swinging singles and socialites at a fabulous Manhattan cocktail party hosted by “Aunt Mary.” A parade of gay and lesbian stereotypes are trotted out in paper doll form for perusal in this reprint of the iconic, highly collectible Attitudes book first released by renown paper doll artist Tom Tierney in 1979. This new volume has been recreated, now in full color and with six new characters, to commemorate one of the early books in a long series of paper doll books for which Tierney has become famous. Enjoy hairdressers, movie stars, millionaires, models, drag queens, and others, each nearly naked in seductive loungerie, and with character appropriate clothing.”

as well as the very intriguing “Marie Laveau Voodoo Priestess” Paper Doll Book. Perhaps I am wrong, maybe as long as there are artists like Tom working in the field, the art of?the paperdoll will continue -?for my future kids' sake I hope so.

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Posted on January 12, 2009

American sportswear legend Bill Blass created his own brand in 1970 and brought chic, wearable clothes to a certain kind of fashionable, very American woman. He passed away at the age of 80 in 2002, but for the past six years his namesake company has carried on with both Michael Vollbracht and most recently the talented Peter Som at the helm.

Their shows have been classic and quite pretty – just imagine yourself walking into a party in one Spring 2008's frocks – but all good things must end and, after decades in the business, Bill Blass is finally saying adieu.

It was a brand that embodied a feminine woman who respected expert tailoring and high class ladies like Gloria Vanderbilt, Nancy Reagan and Candice Bergen were devoted fans. Those names kind of sum up the feel of the brand; it was admittedly a little stuffy, a little bit elite and buttoned up (though Som did infuse it with some girlish charms later), but that traditional style and class is also what makes the clothing so timeless. If you find a choice vintage piece of Blass, it's bound to be both wearable and quite special.

While it's sad to think of old William Ralph Bass turning over in his grave fretting about the rough new world of corporate take overs, subsequent squandering of acquired businesses, and the terrible pre-holiday layoffs of his entire staff (without severance), he can take solace in the fact that he left behind a dignified empire of American style… before other people ruined it.?

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Posted on December 28, 2008

Bob Mackie's glitzy career reads like a kitschy drag queen fantasy: Vegas showgirls, Carol Burnett, Bette Midler, The Love Boat, Barbie, and of course Cher. He's been collaborating with the glamazon weirdo for decades and continues to dip her in diamonds to this day for her current Vegas production. And of course among other thrilling outfits, he is responsible for the show stopping Oscar dress and headdress she wore in 1988, you know back in the day when at least a few people attended the award show looking like they couldn't care less about the droning non-witticisms of the walking wax museum. Seriously, how many satiny floor length sheaths do we have to sit through?

Alas, those days are gone, and so is the extravagant era in which Mackie found so much success. His creations now seem quite quaint as we begin to dip into a god only know how long recession and tiger skin rugs dresses, albeit completely and totally awesome and fantastic in their drama, feel delightfully passe while still making me swoon. Take a look at Diana Ross and The Supremes for more of a walk down decadence lane of our forefathers.

So much fun can be had with the man and his designs. Trust me, searching for him online results in fabulous images and interviews (in some of which he uses the words “muffin top” –too cute) that make me think he's also a pretty nice guy. He prefers you just call him Bob opposed to his well deserved endearments “The Sultan of Sequins” and “The Raj of Rhinestones”.

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Posted on December 15, 2008

I really wish I could recommend the documentary Driver 23 as this week's movie pick but Director Rolf Belgum really shit the bed on this one, and what could have been a miraculously perfect documentary left me frustrated, wishing someone with more skill had made the film. Even if it were made for 700 dollars he could have bothered to actually hold the camera a little more and let the interesting subjects talk without cutting them off.

Still, with that warning I say see it anyways- because the subject, one Dan Cleveland is unbelievably fascinating. He's a man who seems to be constantly in a Herculean struggle against the noise in his head, gravity (which he fights with the laws of physics and mouse trap caliber contraptions) and the world at large.

Armed with duct tape, which he uses for everything including a home made recording studio, cinder block exercise equipment, a double neck guitar, and I swear, at one point shoes, he is fighting against the daily grind of his daytime job, his distant clown wife (literally a clown, most of her interviews are done as she takes on or off the makeup) and band mates that keep quitting on him.

His band Dark Horse is his curly long hair obsession (next to duct tape) and you really want to root for his dream which he can envision with such positivity even as things crumble around him. He is half delusional half genius and wrought with the struggle of being bipolar and heavily medicated with the American dream weighing heavily on his back. While you may find yourself laughing at some points, you can't deny the man's will to carry on in a world that doesn't seem to want him to.

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Posted on December 1, 2008

Omar Little was named by USA Today as one of top ten reasons to still love TV. Michael K Williams, who played the cop in R. Kelly's odd opus Trapped in the Closet(!), was wisely given the role after just one audition portrays the complex, enthralling character with compassion and passion. Even president elect Barack Obama is a fan of the character saying “That's not an endorsement. He's not my favorite person, but he's a fascinating character.” Indeed. And really anyone that's seen the show is in agreement. When I first started watching, I discussed with the girls at work and Omar was everyone's favorite.

A homosexual inner city robin hood of sorts who not only robs from the local drug dealers but does so without getting himself killed. He's smart, he's ruthless, he makes no excuses for what he does or who he is. His open and often graphic sexuality is pretty daring, particularly in the homophobic climate that we're living in.

The character is more than just riveting, he belongs here for his fashion sense too. The scene where he testifies against a man for revenge is priceless and emblematic of the character. Forced to wear a tie to court, he fashions it like an ascot and charms the jury while still being a wildly dangerous man admitting to maiming people with a shot gun.

Little is a compilation character created by David Simon and Ed Burns based on Shorty Boyd, Donnie Andrews, Ferdinand Harvin, and Anthony Hollie. The New York Times recently ran an article about Andrews, who has now married a woman named Fran Boyd who also inspired David Simon's program “The Corner“. Together, they've beaten drug addiction and lives of crime. They volunteer in outreach programs and Andrews became an anti gang advocate while in prison (he was sentenced for life but released due to his impressive transformation).

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Posted on November 17, 2008