Photo shoot with Garret and Steven of UpAgainstTheWall for Ghost Story (I’m doing wardrobe, more on that later) aaand being silly:
I really gotta get better at posing. Or taking multiple shots. But I’m comfortable acting like an idiot. Even on the Internet. Cuz it makes me laugh. Garret took this picture, it’s his fault.
Inside grey sweater with sequined collar: Old. Maybe even the nightmarket (gasp!)
Outside grey sweater: One of my most prized items that I constantly pair with everything to keep warm – RICK OWENS. (I know, it doesn’t even look that special or expensive, but the wool is precious)
Black Bow Belt – some shop in Dong Chu.
Black Skinny Jeans – Uniqlo
Boots – Jeffrey Campbell BackOffs that have been worn to all hell. I’m hard on shoes. These ones are my Match-With-Everything-Everyday. Really hard not to wear them every day, but I’m trying to mix things up for the internet.
I’m also wearing my old dog MAHA’s dog collar. It was his collar that he actually wore everyday. (Is that gross?) I miss him sometimes and so I wear it.
Was running around doing stylist/wardrobe tasks so I didn’t really give a shit what my hair looked like or whatever, I just wanted it outta my face. More excited outfits to come.
So, waaaaayyy back in November I had the honor of being invited to be an assistant in the Electronic Clothes Workshop that was held at Shih Chien University, taught by electronics engineer wizard Paul Gough.
Shih Chien University is the leading local fashion design university, and I’m so fortunate to have met some of their talented staff. After learning of my experience making the LED costumes for TS Fire Group, they thought it would be a good match to join Paul during his workshop. (yay!)
Here are some clips of the workshop (including one of me explaining my TS design!), shot and edited by Frans of Mindfield Film Production.
There were 22 students, and were separated into 7 groups – each group would be responsible for one working garment. At first, the students had to sew some LED’s into a T-shirt so that they got used to using conductive thread and making good electrical contacts. You want that thread taut!
Below is one of the sample garments Paul used to teach students the basics of how a closed circuit works. Don’t cross your wires, or let them touch, or you will short it and that equals no lights Patience is a virtue in sewing
They used single LEDs with a small battery case:
After learning about the simple mechanics, students progressed to learning about dynamic and sensing electronics (the Lily Pad Arduiro, electronics that can sense sound, light, and movement changes).
This workshop focused on electronics that sensed sound and responded to it by lighting up LEDs. The students were given the target market of a club goer in their early 20s to design for. They were also limited to designing with 6 strips of 5 LEDs.
Students gave a presentation on their ideas, and then had a few days to produce a working garment for the final runway show (make it werk!) All of the groups worked extremely hard, and some had to overcome design challenges with the technical restraints of using conductive thread, as you can’t cross positive and negative wires. That meant students had to preplan everything, and then put it into working action.
I got to be one of the judges on the last day. I wanted them all to win – they were so good! One of my favorites was the group of girls who used colored parafin oil in pockets backlit with LEDs. Creative use of the lights, and excellent sewing execution. I know how hard it is to sew!
After the runway show, everyone hung out and took photos. Below are two students who switcheroo-ed their garments, I’d wear both, wouldn’t you? (Extra points for wearing Jeffery Campbell Clinics on the left!)
I wish I had more awesome pictures to show you, but you’ll just have to refer to the video up there… I only had my cell phone and the shots didn’t really turn out. (SORRY!)
I also wanted to mention – this ENTIRE workshop was conducted in ENGLISH – the students’ second language. (Chinese and/or Taiwanese is their first) It was not only difficult to understand the technical aspect even if you spoke English, but they had to explain their designs and present their ideas in English. A big round of applause for that feat, I doubt I would’ve done as well in Chinese! BRAVO!
I’ll leave you with a shot of Paul and I on the last day of the workshop, in my own pair of JC Lita Spike 2s – honestly Paul is not that short!
Thank you so much to Paul Gough and Grace Hsieh for including me in this year’s workshop. I had so much fun and learned a lot! <3
Jeans – Eighty-Twenty – I think the only pair of non-stretch jeans/pants I own.
Cross print T-Shirt, worn under – Store beside Immense. Super nice cotton and stretchy
Wool Cropped Sweater – (first time worn) Second hand store by my house, seemed brand new, or like some lady knitted it for her niece and she hated it and gave it away.
Chain with a small bell
It was really cold so I had to wear another sweater, I took Justin’s super worn one from Immense, double zipper, great for his and her swapping sizes:
Just started doing the C25K (couch to 5km) run work out recommended by Carrie. It will help you run 5km or 30 minutes without stopping incrementally in 9 weeks.
These are the only ‘trainers’ I have, which I bought for exercising a long time ago, but just wore long boarding instead.
Same jacket as the day before – leather lambskin from Wam. Posing with Tom Rook’s amazing HAND DRAWN map print of Taipei City. It’s fucking amazing detail. Email me if you don’t know him and you wanna contact him to buy one. You should, it’s REALLY GOOD.
hat – kitty cat spiked toque. Wam.
Black sweater with 2 raglan zips – Label is Cover but forget where I bought it. Maybe Immense?
One of my favorite necklaces – a multicharm all in bright greens, a skull, snowflake, cross of skulls, a glow in the dark dinosaur…. JJ Weekend market in Bangkok again. (Are you beginning to see a pattern? I save up and buy loads of things from there, but it’s so worth it, my favorite place to shop in the world!)
Close up of the Houndstooth print of my amazing new stretchy pants I got at a new Second Hand Shop by my house for dirt cheap. I hope they belonged to an old lady, cuz that’s really entertaining for me to think about.
Jeffrey Campbell – Damsel Spike in black leather and silver spikes, also from Solestruck. I love how these look, but they are a little too high and cumbersome to be my favorite every day wear. So once or twice a week. And not for marathons. Easy to tip over on ramps and uneven ground. Whoopsy daisy more than once.
Cat Eye Sunnies – Quay Eyewear imported from Australia at NEU
Lambskin leather jacket – Wam
Red Stretchy Skirt – a street vendor on ZhongXiao & DunHua
Leggings – Immense (long ago, they are so worn!)
New fuzzy sweater (first time worn) – Wam
Currently, my favorite shoes:
Jeffrey Campbell – Zip 2 Studs in Jaguar print – from Solestruck.
One thing they don’t tell you in the reviews/comments is that it’s actually FUR, not leather (the jaguar print part). It’s a robust fur and none of it has fallen out or gotten cow licked, but I wouldn’t recommend wearing them in the rain. The inside leather is so SOFT and makes them comfy.
Red Dinosaur necklace – JJ Weekend Market, Bangkok. Just a toy dino spray painted red. Old ladies love it.
Sunday evening, I went to a WeiYa for TS Fire Group. The sweeties bought everyone they’ve worked with a delicious dinner, shared a MASSIVE bottle of whiskey, and did a gift exchange. <You guys are awesome, thanks so much!>
I’ll leave you with the photo of me giving the girl that pulled my number her present (a scarf and some socks from Black Vin), a testament to how tall JC shoes make me.
Rice Society White Jacket – I made it myself, a little over a year ago. Waterproof fabric is the way to go with white cuz it doesn’t get dirty easily. Here’s the link to it when I first made it.
Black hoodie hiding underneath – Uniqlo. pretty standard.
Awesome Cobra tee shirt – stone washed – almost boy fit – JJ Weekend Market, Bangkok. When I wear this I don’t know whether to think of The Cobra Snake, Cobra Starship, or sing Robyn’s Cobra Style.
Puzzle Sneakers, mirrored toe caps! Got them a year ago as part of my last birthday shopping spree (thanks baby!) Imported from HongKong to some shop upstairs in the ZhongShan Mitsukoshi. (The old Idee?) They have a zipper on the side.
When I first got them they were super shiny and tried to use them to see up girl’s skirts. Why didn’t they think of this sooner? Then I made the mistake of telling everyone that and so I seemed like a pervert, which I kind of was, but it was also a funny joke. haha? The mirror is concave so actually it’s not really clear, just a vague color, not really clear images. Then I made the even bigger mistake of wearing a skirt at the same time as these shoes. Ya, no. Let’s stick with jeans.
Found the date stamp on the new camera! Won’t be using that very often, but I guess it proves that I took this picture on the real day. I am trying to look away and be all casual, like, ya, I’m just chilling out for this photo. This is why I used to block out my face with a big speech bubble that said DAY TWO. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about makeup and facial expressions.
Now I’m just like, whatever. This is me.
Jeans – I think I also got them at JJ Market, but honestly, I forget, I had them for a while. Maybe they appear in 100 Outfits.
**This restaurant isn’t very good, but the one next to it on the left of this photo is GREAT. Deep fried salmon + all you can eat salad + clam miso soup + purple rice — at Nanjing + JiLin, NW corner.
Weekend market in Bangkok. The colors look almost like the inside of a dish soap bubble in the sun.
Patience is a virtue in sewing 
