23.7.13

i wore the album out



 
Rasputina -- Sister Kinderhook



{Antique Edwardian floral gown; inherited bead necklace from my grandmother; 1920s millinery flowers in hair; old riding boots.}

Blanche -- If We Can't Trust the Doctors





{Antique Edwardian lace dress; Chelsea Crew boots.}

The Gun Club -- Miami


{1950s shorts.}

    Music has always been my chief sustenance; it inspires, influences, or compliments most every creative endeavor I pursue. Here are some outfits I've been donning (on those increasingly rare days when I am actually getting dressed and going out, rather than staying slip-clad and lazy in the garden) and my "sounds of summer" albums which influenced them. 
    With Sister Kinderhook, Rasputina really went all-out with their very peculiar and lovely 19th century magic, and even added heavy shades of pastoralism to the mix (my favorite!). There's nothing that feels so wonderfully right at the end of a long hot day as putting on an antique cotton slip and sitting out in my garden to watch the bats at dusk while Sister Kinderhook plays softly. 
    Blanche remains one of my most favorite bands, despite their obscurity and fleeting career. So few artists think to marry the Gothic with country-western, and even fewer do it so cleverly and with such talent. With Blanche, I can have my beehives and tear-in-my-beer sorrow, and my Victorian lace and collapsing farmhouses. I used to want to be in a band when I was younger, but since Blanche basically went ahead and put all my aesthetic fancies into musical form, I am content to do other things with my time.
    Finally, the Gun Club's Miami is simply the ultimate driving soundtrack for me. I suppose it's got a rambling, raucous, feral, but tortured spirit in the vein of Hank that matches the sultry summer days and endless car trips through the lush wild foliage. I live in rural Vermont (obviously, I hope) where we have to drive a lot to get anywhere; it sure is beautiful this time of year, to see the mountains draped so in veritable jungles. But the oppressiveness of a deeply rural existence can get to ya, too; the knowledge of all I'm missing out on, brought to my door each day via the internet, and the seductively gorgeous (but no less dangerous!) lazy allure of a dead-end existence.


What are your own summer anthem albums? Do you often dress with songs or music styles in mind? I am all ears!

24 comments:

  1. Damn girl! How do you make Edwardian look so rockstar? Always looks frumptastic on me! Keep it up, lovely <3

    -Sara

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    1. Ah, but I look dowdy and awkward in, oh, 85% of '30s and '40s clothing, hehe!!

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  2. You look amazing as ever, lady! Even when walking the dogs. I am the same about music!!! I wish I had a limited list to add here, but it really oscillates. I'm loving Pokey LaFarge's new album, though!

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    1. Oooh, did not know he had a new album out!! (I am so terrible at keeping up with new music!) I am literally off to buy it right this very minute; I love that guy!!

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  3. Wow, those first two dresses are so beautiful!! And I often dress with a song/band in mind--it's so fun to do!

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  4. You look beautiful and have a great style! Cool as always post entry.

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  5. such great dresses and styles!
    and yes - sometimes i´m inspired by a song when i get dressed - and i have the same "staying slip-clad and lazy in the garden" thing :-)
    the songs are mostly 20-60 years old, newest music passes me by the last few years. but i love to discover some new music via your blog - thanks for this :-)

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    1. You and me both; I always feel so proud of myself for listening to anything from this past decade... forget from this year ;)

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  6. Gorgeous frocks! That first one is absolutely magical.

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  7. You have such amazing style! Your photos look so dreamy.
    I also live in a very rural area where you have to drive a long ways to do anything, and I totally have those same feelings, thank goodness for the internet. I also get inspired by songs when I get dressed.
    Hope you have a lovely day! =}
    http://thegirlwhosays.blogspot.com/

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    1. Yeah, rural bloggers unite!! So many blogs seem to based in suburbia or the city, which is nice and all, but I love seeing the style of other country girls best of all!

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  8. You always look amazing and can pull off any and every style completely.
    +Victoria+

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  9. My favorite summer album is the Blue Album by Weezer. I'm pretty obvious. I let music inspire my clothing choices when I'm feeling morose (like all 5 years of college lol). But now that I'm older, I tend to choose outfits based on what is clean :)

    Mabel
    Life of Mabel

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  10. Such pretty dresses! A gal can never have too many turn of the century dresses. I find myself always wishing for more. Your romantically dark get ups are certainly fetching.

    I haven’t heard of the first two artists/bands that you mentioned, so I’ll have to check them out. There’s just so much incredible music available to us; sometimes I do get quite overwhelmed. My summer music is usually the Everly Brothers, Ricky Nelson, you know - charming, romantic, cutesy ditties.

    If you need to get out of the country, hopefully you’ll be visiting California again sometime soon. Meanwhile, I’m missing those country roads & friendly folks. The grass is always greener ....

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    1. So much good music, so little time, I know! I'm terrible because I can listen to the same artist or album for weeks on end, too; I need to branch out more. I also love peppy cutesy stuff like the Everly Brothers, Dolly Parton, and tons of '60s garage/surf in the summer too!

      I can't wait to head back to California sometime soon... maybe this Fall! Being in the desert and the dense population is such a radical (and beneficial!) change for me.

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  11. You are a poetic vision of Edwardian loveliness, honey. Incredible, captivatingly gorgeous ensembles one and all (very cute 50s shorts!).

    ♥ Jessica

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  12. Whoaa, first of all, thank you for making me discover Blanche! Can't get enought of them now. I think my summer anthem would strangely enough be the soundtrack of Twin Peaks. I remember watching the whole first season at a friend's house in the middle of a forest, and since the sun really doesn't go down in the summer in Finland, one couldn't tell for sure if it was day or night.

    Oh, and your beehives are absolutely fab

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    1. Ahhh, if I've set another Blanche fan loose into the world I'm thrilled!! They are seriously right up there with Hank Williams, the Gun Club, and Loretta Lynn as my all-time favorite artists. Too bad I think they've disbanded now :(

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  13. This is such a cool idea! Great concept and amazing outfits (as usual!). I agree with some other commenters, Blanche is amazing! Such a neat sound/aesthetic.

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  14. I love your outfits!!! I have been listening to a lot of old school country music and bluegrass. So while I have been having a 50's vibe with my outfits.


    Emily
    eageremily.blogspot.com

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  15. What an amazing post! You look utterly ethereal and stunning in those incredible Edwardian dresses, where did you find them? Both so enchanting and clearly in great condition. Love your last outfit too, very cool.
    I'm listening to a lot of 60s Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake and Tim Buckley at the moment, plus Laura Marling and 30s latino jazz, not to mention 90s P J Harvey when I want to get feisty!

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    1. Thanks, Emalina; that's grand a compliment coming the queen of ethereal antique ensembles! The first dress was snagged at an antique store a few years back for twenty-odd dollars, and the second one was a gift from my antique-dealer Aunt.

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  16. Aah you are so dreamy my dear, I love Rasputina, used to be very much inspired by them in my teens all lace and corsets. I need to look up Blanche they sound wonderful. xxx

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    1. Thank you, Hannah!! I love Melora Creager's stage outfits SO much! I love love love how she wears tattered and kinda dirty authentic antique clothing; very organic and cool, versus the more stuffy and costumey-looking "neo-victorian" stuff I see on a lot of modern goth-y types.

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