The Art of Attire

Posted on by Diversions LA

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Fashion is in many cases considered a form of art. When an art lover purchases an art work, they’re collecting something they love. When fashionistas purchase clothing, well, maybe they’re just shopping – but a cogent argument can be made that they’re collecting, too. Whether they’re collecting a favorite brand or an iconic look, from designer couture to hand-painted linens,  what we wear represents the art of fashion and more personally, the art of ourselves.

Museums often hold halls of fashion, clothing that has historical or celebratory value, whether we’re looking at presidential inaugural outfits from the 19th Century, Mondrian print scarves, or what Lady Gaga wore to the Grammys. Originality, fine craftsmanship, beautiful materials all play a part in what makes attire art. And of course, personal taste.

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With all that in mind – how a garment is made, what it’s made with, and an original approach, here in Southern California, the art of attire tends to focus on designer outfits at red carpet events — and there are plenty of those — and beach wear.

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Award ceremonies aside, there are a lot of us taking a walk along the sand, catching a wave, or just hanging out with a glimpse of blue sea always in view. And we still want our own personal, wearable style – the art of us.

This has led to a wide range of clothing for both sexes, from bathing suits to sun hats to cover-ups that cross over into evening wear, patterned beach bags that double as briefcases or overnight bags, and for guys, the relaxed vibe of the beach in shorts, shirts, and board shorts that are cool enough to leave the sand.

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Sure, there are mass market retailers that offer takes on beach fashion, but not only may quality be sub-par, let’s face it, purchasing anything off a rack in a chain store is – to use the art analogy again – not dissimilar to bringing home a print of the Mona Lisa and assuming it’s just as good as the real thing.

We recently met the owner of the Old Bull Lee brand of shorts, shirts, and board shorts, Lee Johnson, who more than agrees. Old Bull Lee is more or less the epitome of a clothing brand that represents the art of beach living. It’s a conscious choice, to make terrifically wearable clothes that more or less define a lifestyle. Johnson says his company doesn’t just make shorts – “We live and craft them.  We pride ourselves on making the finest quality. We pay attention to every detail,” he says.

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Culling fabrics from France and Italy, making his clothing in California where the company is located,  Old Bull Lee also defines itself with bold color patterns, precise keyhole buttonholes, and sophisticated styling.

Some patterned street short designs are printed in France by a 150-year-old company that uses Persan WAT roller printing to provide a soft and layered depth and great color performance. The material is lightweight, with a tight weave and substantial feel. Solid color shorts may utilize superior Japanese-made Duck-weight cotton,  with vibrant color that’s over-dyed or direct-dyed to prevent fading.

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And when it comes to Old Bull Lee board shorts, the design is just as meticulous, and the artful palette just as engaging.  There’s the vivid psychedelic undersea blue pattern in the company’s El Porto design, or the rich, tapestry-like half-speed-printed floral graphic in the Montauk design, the latter from internationally renowned artist Eduardo Recife. There it is again, fashion as art.

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Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say it’s fashion merging with art, as with the company’s 100% ring-spun cotton T-shirt that sports a hip apple green logo screen printed on the front in water-based ink. From casual shirts to button-downs crafted with Italian fabric and mother of pearl buttons, the art of beach style is epitomized by Old Bull Lee.

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Johnson of course notes the comfort of his clothing, the softness, durability, and fit – but in the end it all comes down to artistic design and fabric; to defining and representing the art of beach living, from Cape Cod to Santa Monica Bay, from the Carolinas to the Lone Star State.

While over the years the art of attire has often come to represent royal gowns and film costumes, in a very real way and on a very relatable level, when it comes to clothing, the real art is in creating lasting and lovely attire that fits the lives that people lead. And allows them to live their dreams.

  • Genie Davis; photos: Old Bull Lee

Carolee Rainey Tells Listeners to Feel Fearless.

Posted on by Diversions LA
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With powerful melody and strong, anthemic voice, Carolee Rainey’s Feel Fearless EP offers a positive and life-affirming message. Exuberant and joyful, Rainey gives folk rock a jubilant spin.

 

Evoking comparisons with Stevie Nicks and Ricki Lee Jones, Rainey is nothing if not uplifting. The songs on her potent debut mini-album reflect inspirational and empowering messages lyrically, while the music is solid, strongly singable, and will delightfully lodge in listeners internal musical repertoire for a long time.

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Philosophically, Rainey says she views life as a journey – “get on the train and ride with me…got a lot of room for my new audience…you on board?” She asks that listeners tune in to her songs because “they’ve got life, wisdom and lightness even if they can get rather lonely and dark. What can you do? We all live in our private villages.”

All the same, Rainey, who has worked as a visual artist as well as a singer-songwriter and exhilarating performer, knows how to connect her audience and with it. Take in the gypsy-like joy in “Mystic Rose,” or the spiritual bliss in “Listen to the River,” and any personal inclination toward isolation will dissolve in the infectious pleasure that Rainey clearly takes in her work. The latter tune, inspired by a location in Big Sur, Calif. that has captivated the artist, has a definite LA-vibe. The now East Coast-based musician says “My heart may be in winter, but my soul is in the sun,” a sentiment that comes through vibrantly in this cut. Her song “Feel” is equally emotional, cutting to the quick of both loss and joy.
The mini-album’s first single, “Deal with the Devil” is the most rock-like tune; but the over-riding theme of the record is simply to create work that is both positive and thoughtful while being musically fun.
Tight backing musicians create compulsively listenable support to Rainey, including Doug Yowell, Richard Hammond, Thad DeBrock, and Clifford Carter on acoustic piano and keys.
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Rainey says she was inspired to cut her record while attending a Rickie Lee Jones concert. Working as a painter, she found that “virtually one day, I just didn’t have the calling to wake up and create from a blank canvas…it was a transformation that was filled with angst about what my next creative endeavor would be…” until she attended the concert. She found Jones’ performance galvanizing, and immediately began to write her own songs. “It was the next stop on the train for me,” she says.
Get on board with Rainey’s “tracks” and see where her journey takes you. The EP drops the end of April. Follow Rainey on Facebook for the latest release news. Check out her sound and look on YouTube.
– Genie Davis; photos via Carolee Rainey music

Mexican “Queens” – La Gringa Bar and Grill

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Like Los Angeles, New York is hardly a slouch of a city when it comes to amazing restaurants. But for Angelenos visiting the east coast, after the wealth of stellar Mexican eateries in L.A., choosing south of the border cuisine in the Big Apple can sometimes feel like the last selection on a “where to dine” list.

But surprise: during a recent east coast visit, La Gringa Bar and Grill changed our minds, about a lot of things. Not only about choosing Mexican cuisine, but about dining outside of Manhattan.

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Located in unassuming Rego Park, Queens – a short subway jaunt from the heart of NYC and adjacent to trendier Astoria, La Gringa Bar and Grill is a revelation. Introduced to the venue by a local friend, the spot afforded one delicious surprise after another: starting with an Elote appetizer. Street corn has always been a favorite, and here, it’s served with the corn already cut off the cob, with cotija cheese and Mexican crema mixed in, attractively filling a large glass rimmed with red chili powder.  Served with a wedge of lime and a sprinkling of cilantro, we could’ve had ten of these, but then we wouldn’t have been able to eat the perfectly crisp fish tacos, or the beautifully balanced poblano relleno, filled with shrimp and topped with fresh avocado. Served with black beans and well-seasoned rice,  the juicy carnitas were a hit with the carnivores in our group, as was a thick, smoky chicken mole. 

We were impressed with the stylish food presentation, the from-scratch flavors, and the fresh produce.

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Drinks from the bar were also great – with an ample selection of mezcal and tequila, and a variety of house special margaritas, there were plenty of choices worth celebrating. Dessert? We had caramel flan that was letter perfect, but better still were the round churro balls – think donut holes in style – with chocolate dipping sauce.

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The restaurant also offers catering and party room rentals.

La Gringa Bar and Grill is located at 63-354 Woodhaven in Rego Park. For more information visit www.lagringagrill.com

 

 

Cinematic Mad Love – Fou d’Amour

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The darkest of dark comedies or a strangely seductive decent into insanity? In Mad Love (Fou d’Amour) a comic morality tale and a terrifying depiction of a monstrously deluded man merge. Highly charged and tinged with eroticism, the story of a small town priest’s romantic foibles makes for compulsive viewing.

 Set in an isolated French village with a fecund green landscape, the film begins with the beheading of its protagonist, a priest (Melvil Poupaud). With his head lying untended in a corner away from the bloody guillotine, the priest begins to narrate his story, and what brought him to his death.

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As self-justifying in death as he has been in life, he tells of his arrival in the small town of Albon, apparently transferred after rumors of an untoward sexual dalliance in a less isolated town. As played by Poupaud, above, the priest is a magnet for the unsatisfied women of the town, including a wealthy widow, Armance; a lusty milkmaid, Odette; and several other pliant women. With Armance’s help he starts a soccer club and a theater group, supplementing his priestly and carnal duties to stave off boredom.

As a religious mentor, the priest is sorely lacking in virtue, but he infuses the town with a lively spirit, providing activities both innocent and lustful that engage many of the town-folk.

His secret trysts and non-secular activities are briefly questioned by a priest from a neighboring town and his superior, but any concerns are sloughed off, and the priest’s rather idyllic existence is allowed to continue.

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But then comes the arrival of Rose (Diane Rouxel), a stunningly lovely and innocent young blind woman who joins his theater group. The two initially seem somewhat evenly matched in both their passion and secretiveness; Rose arranges their initial clandestine meetings under the nose of her grandmother. Rose is as much seductress as she is seduced, appearing before the priest naked, clad only in a sheer veil. But, of course, none are so blind as those who will not see, to paraphrase the Old Testament.

123635_-_h_2015As inevitable as the slice of the guillotine, things do not stay idyllic for long. Rose becomes pregnant and the priest becomes unhinged, first abusing Rose, then begging her forgiveness. It is Rose, however who gives the priest his penance, denying him access to her, and leaving the village for a time.

Despite spending a week in the woods waiting for God’s answer to desperate prayers and renouncing some of his more earthly pleasures, when Rose returns to town, ready to give birth, the reason for the priest’s date with the guillotine becomes horrifyingly clear.

While the film’s tone never wavers from the darkly comic tone set by its self-aggrandizing narrator,  it does darken in its penultimate moments, when the priest eliminates the threat to his ministry.

Somewhat surprisingly based on a true story, the film has the look and feel of a fable, from its bucolic village setting to the justice of the priest’s beheading. Although set in the 1950s, this tale could be told anywhere in time,  one of both madness and vanity. Visually, director Phillipe Ramos, who also serves as his own cinematographer, has created images that are steeped in a kind of fairy-tale quality, rich and damp, with stone buildings and dusty stables something that transcend time.

As lyrical and licentious as its narrator, Mad Love is about a delusion that reaches even beyond the grave, its wry sense of humor leading viewers to a complicit involvement in the priest’s twisted confessionary story.