kristinsdóttir

Since I can’t swim due to the cast on my arm, I am course devoting some thought to this pastime. And — naturally– my thoughts jump to what one wears to swim. I already pointed out the modest suits at Wholesome Wear; here are more very nice modest suits at Swimwear Solutions. The neckline, sleeves, leggings, and skirt length on the Swimsuit Solutions suits can be adjusted to suit your preferences. Nice. Muslim? Here’s a shop that sells very Modest suits. And…whoa…here’s some at Jelbab.com that are even more modest. Swim Modest has some sarong-style suits. If your constraints are fewer and your tastes more mainstream, Land’s End claims that a beautiful, stress-free swim season starts at their site.

Hey! Before we leave the pool, Want a swimsuit that does the floating for you?

(getreligion.org also takes a look at the modest swimwear issue)

I have a ‘boxer’s fracture.’ I’ll wear my basic black cast for the next month at least. No swimming. Sweating only.

Is wearing stripes naughty? Do only brave people do it?

This week I will be reading “A Father’s Story” by Andre Dubus for the adult storytime at the library where I work.

I like the idea. Frida Fashions wants to help you become as stylish and cool as Frida Kahlo. They sell clothing and accessories; shop with them and you will be a Frida Kahlo lookalike. Frida Kahlo’s life and style — and her jewelry – were fascinating, definitely.

Nice post here, too, from the blog Brain Smatter, with good links to various Frida-ish pages.

An aside: several years ago, a friend of mine, a jeweler, gave me earrings inspired by a pair given by Picasso to Frida. They’re sterling silver, a pair of very realistic hands. When I first opened the package, it was kind of a shock, but I’ve become fond of them.

(the pic? a collage portraying Frida Kahlo, by someone called F. Lennox…or I think that’s the name…can’t find out for sure…if anyone knows, or if the artist wants me to take this off my site, just send me an email; thanks!)

Legacy Pride has these totally cool paper dolls by Donald Hendricks; you can buy them individually and you can also subscribe to a quarterly publication that features special edition paper dolls and prints. Each issue is devoted to a specific theme and features a Centerfold Doll, a Coloring Page, A Collector’s Page, etc.

Or, you can just enjoy the pics on the website! :-)

Can’t testify as to its veracity, but here’s an interesting article on headcoverings of the ancient world. Looks like it’s put together by Michael Marlowe, who says, “Theologically I am conservative and Reformed.”

“There are many options for modesty without copying the exact and unique dress of a faith community.” So says M. on a Yahoo Group of which I am a member. A discussion is going on there regarding people who want to dress exactly like the Amish, for example, but are not themselves Amish.

Fashion designer Anna Sui has called sculptor Louise Nevelson one of her style icons, and speaks admiringly of Nevelson’s preference in later years for wearing “multicolor headscarves and Russian peasant dresses.” Laura Lisle’s biography Louise Nevelson: a Passionate Life describes her outfit for an art opening: “On opening night, Louise pinned on her shoulders two deep purple silk Japanese tapestries, each embroidered with an enormous white crane, gray branches, and pink cherry blossoms. Underneath she wore a starched white embroidered peasant blouse and a long black ruffled Mexican skirt. She had begun to cover her cropped, thinning gray hair with a bandanna, not unlike a Russian babushka, and that evening she wore a headdress created from a turquoise damask napkin. As final touches she added a necklace of boar’s teeth and a large brooch she had made from black wood and sheet gold. ” Interestingly, Lisle notes later in the book that “during the last decades of her life, [wearing] lavish, attention-getting clothing helped her feel like the beauty she had [once] been.”

(the pic? Nope, not Louise Nevelson’s boots. Rather, boots designed by Anna Sui. God help me, I was 13 in 1972 and the era made a lasting impression on me. I like these boots!)

Ceramacist Beatrice Wood was fascinated by the philosophies of the East and became a member of the Theosophical Society in 1923. She moved in Bohemian circles and socialized with the likes of Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray. She’s been called The Mama of Dada. She amassed a huge collection of saris and wore them almost exclusively, along with vast quantities of silver jewelry.

She lived to 105 and, when asked the secret to her incredible longevity, she would respond, “I owe it all to chocolate and young men.”

Want to know how to tie a sari? There are hundreds of ways, but here’s one.

Chantal Boulanger wrote a wonderful book on saris. From Chantal Boulanger’s site, here’s the story of a woman who learned to master the art of tying a sari despite the fact that she was unable to use her left hand.