I’m in a constant state of self-defense these days. It’s exhausting but not completely redundant. You have questions and grievances about the blog and I’m prepared to answer them one by one. Fair dos really…
Anyway, one question cropped up about Tour de Force’s headgear was "HOW and WHERE are people going to wear these?"
On Thursday night, arriving a bit battered and bruised in Paris, I wore it out to a party at the Cineaqua (the Aquarium…) where many lychee cocktails were had (hence the hangover the next day…) and The Gossip performed in front of a giant fish tank with Beth Ditto’s orange hairdo taking centre spotlight. The birthday weekend got stranger than that but that was a good start.
Anyhow the point is, the birthday pale blue velvet headband was worn and was resiliently on in physical presence and spirit. I wore it with a combination of a pink dress, a green silk top, a purple vest in a sort of quad-jewel-bright colour scheme.
But I guess the ‘How?’ question was not with regards to what I wore the headdress with but HOW does one carry it off. An entirely subjective thing of course seeing as to some I might NOT have pulled it off It’s a question that implies that extravagant/OTT headpieces or something similar requires a certain attitude in the wearer. I’ve been meaning to write something that doesn’t sound like a ridiculous self-help article or overly condescending or ‘Here’s my advice’ (the thought of me doling out advice to anyone makes me want to laugh and fall off my chair…). I guess I can only recall a thought process then…
Thurs 11th December 2008 (Day of the party)
16:03 I’ve packed this bit of blue velvet but I haven’t actually tried it on with the pre-packed outfit… is pale blue actually gonna work with purple, pink AND green…? But bleurgh….the hair is feeling rank and greasy today…something needs to go up there…
20.17 Ok, I’ve had a bit of red wine now, the cheeks are flushed a little and I can’t wait to change into my outfit because ripped jeans and Docs is making me feel like I’m back at HBS again, listening to Suede. Wonder what Beth Ditto will wear…?
22.01 Have had to leg it back to the hotel to change in record speed. The pink dress, green top and purple pleated vest is on. The black tights and shoes are on. Am looking like a Christmas decoration with black stick men legs. Oh well, can only add to the effect by popping the bow on. Steve is fretting about a creased Lanvin shirt… nobody of course is going to actually laugh at a creased shirt though…
22.18 Take the lift down to the lobby and the hotel staff are staring a little. The guests (which incidentally are all very chic…) and their heads are turning a little. I think I hear a snigger. I’m asking for a taxi at the desk and the guy is distinctly drawn to the pale blue. For some reason, I suddenly start speaking louder and gesturing more wildly… to detract from the head of course…
22.24 Taxi arrives and outside I can distinctly hear a woman behind me say in French something like ‘Look what is on her head!’. A pure statement as opposed to an insult I hope… if it was the latter in dream film world, I’d retort back with something like "Look what is on her feet!" and then berate myself for being such a Mean Girls-wannabe bitch.
22.48 The taxi driver looked once or twice in the rear view mirror but stopped after a while because clearly he thought I was a loon from Angleterre. We arrive at the Cineaqua and have to ask one of the security guards where the party is…. a bellowing laugh sounds out after we walk away and more French is spoken about the headdress. I like deep laughs I do…
22.53 Inside now in what is basically a giant fish tank and find my friends… not sure if they like it or not. Oh well, they know I’m into my headgear and have come to expect it of me. As the party is organised by Nokia, there’s a bit of a mixed crowd that involves a few ‘corporate’ bigwigs from Nokia that wince/smile/stare a little at the head. Music too loud to hear whether they’re saying anything. Oooh…I wonder what they’re serving at the bar. Is that girl wearing lace-up PVC leggings…awesome… What fish are swimming in the tank? My hat almost matches the water…
23.20 The Gossip on stage and of course the headdress is old news especially when Beth Ditto is howling in front of a school of fish in a giant tank, who supposedly cannot hear the music due to the thickness of the glass.
24.00 A Swedish girl says she likes my hat. Apparently statistically speaking, most women receive a compliment a day and a man can go for weeks without one. My daily quota is fulfilled.
24.23 Proceed to try and drink as many as Shanghai cocktails as possible and forget the headdress so much so that it keeps falling off due to excessive flailing and bouncing.
In short my thought process around wearing the headdress mainly consists of being aware of people’s reactions but then diverting the mind to something else, speaking louder and dancing like a tit and oh, a little alcohol helps too…
Advice sucks…