ROCK AND ROLL ANDROGYNY

 Androgyny's nothing new...check out the court of Versailles for instance where men regularly wore ruffled blouses, high heels, makeup, wigs and even beauty marks...not good.  Leave it to rock stars to make androgyny sexy. 
I've found some examples for you....

The purple prince of androgyny.

There is no shortage of lovely white ruffled blouses, should you want to rock Prince's look. 

I can't imagine Billy Joe Armstrong without his eye makeup and short choppy hair cut.

I've always had long hair myself, but I really admire these looks...

Theatrical makeup is a little challenging to pull off....yet

 ...this girl rocks the Bowie, and still looks cute.

She's got the suit like Jagger, but does she have the moves?

Why should the boys have all the fun?  Patti Smith rocks the androgynous look.

 Okay, so he's a hell of a lot prettier than Patti Smith...but if you can pull your eyes away from his face for a moment you may notice they are similarly dressed.

 "Someone at Max's asked me if I was androgynous.  I asked what that meant.  "You know like mick Jagger"  I figured that must be cool.  I thought the word meant both beautiful and ugly at the same time.  Whatever it meant, with just a haircut, I miraculously turned androgynous overnight"  Patti Smith

 "Androgyny and rock music are not new things"  David Bowie

Have you ever dressed in an androgynous way?  Do you think it's easier for a man or a woman to dress this way?  Do you think it's sexy?  Would love to know.

Have a beautiful day.
YANCEY

LIVE LIKE A ROCK STAR

Remember when you were a teenager and wanted to decorate your room?  Perhaps put up posters of your favorite rock or movie stars?  A black light or two?  Candles, lots and lots of candles?  Hide all of your stuffed animals in the closet?  Ban your brother from entering, for life? 
 How did your parents react?  Did they say the two most dreaded, candle snuffing words in the English language....you can't?  The saddest thing about the words you can't is by the time you're an adult they've usually morphed into....I can't.  I can't paint my living room walls orange.....I can't put down white shag rugs.....I can't sell the inherited antiques and buy the modern furniture that I really want....I can't!

Who tells rock stars you can't?  Who tells sting, you can't buy an English castle and turn it into a recording studio!  Who tells Keith Richards,  you can't let your girlfriends lounge around on the fine velvet...naked!  And who the hell is going to tell Rod Stewart, you can't live out your Lord of the Manor fantasies!  My guess is....no one...that's who.  

Let's give ourselves permission to live like rock stars....I can....you can....we all can.
Here's some inspiration to get us started....... 

A hotel designed by Philippe Stark, arguably a rock star of architecture and design.

Designed by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard...beloved by rock stars the world over.

The Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego.

He may not be a rock star, but antiques dealer Richard Kazarian knows how to live like one.

The tropical estate of George Harrison. 

Who told George Harrison, you can't decorate your living room like a tikki lounge?

Care to guess?

Stings castle/recording studio.

Oh Rod Steward never change for you are truly adorable.  Btw: the green dining room belongs to Mr. S.

More Philippe Stark inspiration.

Designer Tobi Tobin, who is clearly cool enough to be a rock star!

You want to live like a rock star?   YOU CAN!
Have a beautiful day.
YANCEY

BABY YOU'RE A STAR

Rock and Roll:  A music representing a lifestyle of doing what you want and living your life the way you wish to.  Freedom of speech and expression.

(Urban Dictionary)

Underground:  Art, opinion or organization that exists ouside of mainstream society or culture.

(Urban Dictionary)

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman.  I'm living on"  David Bowie

Although this weeks muse is rock and roll underground,  I'm not here to discuss the meaning of r&r (hell, you already know what music means to you, right?), nor am I here to discuss favorite artists or songs.  Let's talk about the wide span of influence that rock and rock stars have on design and culture.
When Braxton and I were throwing around ideas for this post, we kept coming back to one thing....rock stars and rock music have tremendous influence on our lives, asthetically and culturally....which got us thinking and talking about what it means to be influential.  In my/our opinion in order to influence, one must first have an original thought.  In other words....rock stars (and others) are influential because they show us something new.
My challange to you this week is....have a new thought...about yourself and your life and act accordingly.  If we continue to think and do as we always have (and as our parents and their parents did before them) we don't evolve, and evolution is the point, right? 

"A good thing never ends"  Mick Jagger

Proof you don't have to be a rock star to dress like one.

 "Lose your dreams and you might lose your mind"  Mick Jagger

"I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human"  David Bowie

"A painter's got a canvas.  The writer's got reams of empty paper.  A musician has silence"  Keith Richards

"  We all have our own personal laborataries.  Life is an experiment, and it's just a matter of getting the alchemical combination right"  Keith Richards                      

 You know we'll be discussing rock and roll influences on fashion and interior design.

The hard rock hotel and casino in Vegas.

Let's talk about the asthetic influence of rock and roll.
Raise your hand if you want to be a rock star!
Have a beautiful day.
YANCEY

SUBTLE SPARKLE AND SHINE

 I'm no fashionista , but I do happen to have a black sequined skirt, which I love but have never worn outside the house.  I know, I really must work on my fashion confidence, but when it comes to sequins and shiny fabrics I feel it's best to proceed with caution.  I love the idea of a sparkly pocketbook, belt or hairband, and who doesn't love sparkly jewelry, right?  Yet, a little goes a long way.  Here are a few examples of subtle sparkle.....




 "I'm just trying to change the world, one sequin at a time"  Lady Gaga

Have a beautiful weekend.
YANCEY