2024 Wrapped - Part Two

Last year I meant to post more on the blog but ended up doing about one per month which was at least something. I discovered that maxi skirts can look quite good on me, especially pleated ones, and were quite nice to wear in the summer when I was a little self conscious about my legs. I got some new cosplay, some of which didn't fit and others which I still need to complete. I did go to some conventions but it just felt easier to go in more casual clothes. For the coming year I would like to try and complete some of those cosplays and also learn a bit about make-up. 

Recently I've bought a new top and some new skirts, a nice red maxi one and a black one. This past weekend I bought some jewellery too. Buying new clothes still gives me a confidence boost too. There was a lovely blue and gold skirt I saw a few weeks ago which was too big for me (usually the other way around though). It's getting so I'm falling for retail tricks now. A shop I went in had some lovely cream jumpers paired with some black plaid skirts which looked like such a cute outfit. Didn't get them though but you never know, I might go back...

Recently I also rewatched Legally Blonde and while it is still a fun warm hug of a movie it now has added nostalgia vibes. Everything seemed so colourful back then. I sometimes wonder if it was genuinely a better time 20 - 30 years ago or if I was just younger and had more of my life before me. There was one line that puzzled me though. When Elle is about to jack law school in she swears off wearing suits and pantyhose. Suits I understand but are pantyhose mainly worn by professional women in America or maybe is it just warmer over there so bare legs is more of an option whereas over here tights are worn both professionally and more casually?

I also went to see Wicked before New Year. A friend of mine really wanted to see it and although it wasn't on my list I really enjoyed it. It has high school mean girls vibes and some of the songs are more subversive than I expected. What is This Feeling? for example has the structure of a love song but it's really about two people hating each other. Then there's also the song that's been living rent free in my head which is Popular. I love it the more I listen to it. Glinda is a wonderful character. I have considered cosplaying her so who knows. Most of the men I know seem to have been dragged to this by their partners but it's probably on brand that I really enjoyed it. So anyway, I've leave you with Popular. I know, that's what makes me so nice!

My Week #9

 I had hoped to complete (or even start) the third and final part of The Beach this week but unfortunately I haven't really had the time plus some technology issues. I was due to have a new laptop this week but looks like it was delivered to the wrong address or someone just plain stole it so that's a depressing thought. Not that I'm oblivious to the fact that people can be shits but I had a little more faith in humanity than that. Mistakes I can handle.

Anyway, in lieu of that I thought I would add a couple of things I saw this week. First up was the film Predestination which is a 2014 sci-fi movie starring Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook that centres around time travel. I don't want to say an awful lot about it as it's best going in cold but if generally you like time travel movies then give this a go. It's still on Amazon Prime here in the UK. The film deals with transgender themes alongside those of identity although they aren't the main focus. The design aspect is brilliant too with some great 1960s style dresses for the Space Force sequences and a cool take on a time machine.

The other one is a music video. I'm surprised I've never done a series on music videos as there are more that deal with TG, crossdressing and body swapping than you would think. The below is the 2011 song TYP D.I.S.C.O by Israeli electro pop group The Young Professionals which also stars Israeli drag artist and gay icon Uriel Yekutiel.

Looking up the details for this post I'm surprised that this is nine years old. I know that musically I don't have my finger on the pulse much anymore but this is ridiculous. Anyway this is an excellent video with a cool 80s vibe to it and I'm thrilled that a male performer is wearing the same outfits as the female dancers. He's very Freddie Mercury too. 

Fancy

I'm probably very behind the times regarding todays popular hit parade but I heard about the video for this song a while ago and after having a still pop up in a picture search I decided to give it a shot.

The song is Fancy by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX and is inspired by the movie Clueless. The video is from YouTube

I've spoken before about my love for Clueless and I'm glad to see scenes recreated for this video. Regarding the song, it's not normally my thing but I found it quite catchy after a few listens and for a tune about rich party girls it's great that they chose to homage something like Clueless rather than the usual kind of rap video content. It really gels with the subject of the song and, rather than just a feel, it heavily references particular scenes from the movie.

Growing up with it it feels odd to see Clueless referenced and held up as a classic but I suppose it was girls my age that fell in love with it back in 1995 especially the look. I know that if I was a teenage girl back then, I would have been hooked by it and there is still something sexy about knee socks. Many of the outfits are recreated well and of course there's Cher's yellow plaid suit and Iggy definitely wears it well. As I've said before, this is a dream outfit of mine. If I were to achieve one thing through cross dressing it would be to wear that outfit (probably at a fancy dress party) and feel like a spoiled 90s teen princess for an evening.

Conchita Wurst

I was watching The Big Fat Quiz of the Year tonight and was reminded of Conchita Wurst, the drag queen who won this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

I always meant to blog about her at the time but it was a case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I was having some problems, basically. I've never really been one for Eurovision but a couple of years ago I discovered the sheer joy of ripping the piss out of it with friends on social media.

I love that Conchita even entered, let alone one. She was not afraid to be herself, beard and all. More gender fluidity.

Conchita Wurst on stage at Eurovision 2014

Photograph from the Daily Express webiste (www.express.co.uk). 

A Change Would Do You Good

This is A Change Would Do You Good by Sheryl Crow from 1996 and I absolutely adored this video at the time. Everyone swapping roles and clothes all over the place, this was just awesome. I watched it again recently and didn't realise the amount of well known people in it, Molly Shannon Jeff Garlin from Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mary-Lynn Rubikscube (or whatever) from The Larry Sanders Show etc. At the time I just recognised Ellen DeGeneres because I was a fan of her sitcom, Ellen. Of course, if you hadn't guessed, I loved the boss turning into his secretary in that long red dress.

Yeah, so this was an early influence on me.