Category Archive for People + Pets
HISTORY OF THE DANDY: FLAMBOYANT FLANEUR MALE FASHION, FROM ROCOCO WIGS TO NEW ROMANTIC, STEAMPUNK & NEO-VICTORIANA.
Male flamboyance: a centuries-old tradition that has evolved but never gone out of fashion. Today’s ruffled riff-raff — think Japan’s Goth Aristocrats and New York’s Dances of Vice (above) — are but the modern incarnation of the European dandy. So let’s raise our bowler hats to our foppish forefathers who paved the road to Visual Kei and Harajuku boys.
The male peacock bared his tail-feathers in 18th and 19th century Europe. “Laconically witty clothes-horse” Beau Brummell and “Dandy King” Joachim Murat set the stage for the slightly eccentric but always stylish gentleman. Let’s not forget the infamous Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron. (Come on, fellow contemporary writers — live up to the decadence of your predecessors!)
In mid-18th century Britain and America, the ornate man “stuck a feather in his hat and called it maccaroni.” These caricatures capture the maccaroni’s outlandish tailed jackets and towering powdered wigs.
After suffering through the French Revolution and Reign of Terror, the bourgeoisie just wanted to have fun. The Incroyables and their female counterparts, the Merveilleuses, ornamented themselves in floppy collars and bows. Long hair on men has always been a mark of bad boy hedonism, hasn’t it?
Frilly shirts and powdered visages came back to life in the 1980s New Romantics. The Blitz Kids’ club fashion influenced some of my favorite 80s synth-poppers: Visage, Adam and the Ants, Ultravox, Duran Duran, Human League, Spandau Ballet.
Today, the male dandy lives on in Japanese Gothic Aristocrats, Visual Kei J-rockers, Steampunks and other Neo-Victorian/Goth sartorialists. As for their female counterparts: no matter what era you’re living in, there’s a place for long gloves and ostrich feathers. And ding-a-linging your young boytoy… well, that never gets old!
PS: DJ SiSEN in Malaysia? Nope, it’s a Harajuku Look-Alike contest!
You may also enjoy Funny money in Asia: my new gallery on CNNGo. Which one is the most Monopoly-like?
Song of the Day #279: 12012 – Heart (J-rock dandies carry the flame forward.)
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WHAT ARE BEST CAT FOOD BRANDS FOR SCOTTISH FOLD? NATURAL BYPRODUCT FREE WET & DRY PET FOOD, DUST-FREE LITTER, CATGRASS & KITTY TREATS.
So many of you have asked… what type of cat food does Basil Farrow eat? Today, I turn the blog over to my Scottish Fold cat!
“Mommy leaves out water and some wet and dry food for me all the time. She stirs the wet food or adds new amounts during the day, to keep it fresh. If the food’s running low, I wahhhh wahhhh! her!”
“Read the cat food labels; if there are animal byproducts and filler grains in there, put it back down!”
We put the stainless steel bowls on a platform so I don’t need to bend too much. My food dishes are placed away from my litterbox (to avoid contamination). I have three bowls of water around the house — this encourages me to drink more.
Contrary to popular perception, I’m not overweight… Scottish Folds are supposed to be round, especially us boys!
I always have a fresh supply of catgrass. It gives me nutrients and helps with digestion.
Last word of advice from Basil Farrow: “Feed your animal companions the best food possible — we deserve it! You can perceive the difference in our soft fur and happy W-mouths!”
What do you think of my baby’s diet? What do you feed your kitties? (You can click on any of the links above to buy the products directly from Amazon.)
For more Scottish Fold photos and cuteness, visit Basil’s blog.
Song of the Day #193: Olivia Newton-John and ELO – Xanadu
LA CARMINA
