On Jawbreaker and the inherent nature of female bitchiness

throughout the decades, film watchers have time and again born witness to the inherent bitchiness that is so often a prominent aspect of the multi-faceted female character, even (and often especially) in relation to her so-called friends. in this respect, as in multitudes of others, art mimics life. it's not that men DON'T treat one another with their own sort of hierarchical name-calling and blatant mistreatment--this is also part of human nature--it's just that women have perfected an implicit meanness at such a young age and to such fine capability that there really is no comparison. girls use stealth and finesse to traumatize their victims, knowing exactly where and how hard to hit with words that could curb a grizzly bear were it susceptible to such things. Jawbreaker is brilliant in the respect that it captures this particular piece of the female persona to a remarkable degree, and then shows us what can happen when it all goes horribly wrong. even the most devious of these characters can eventually take a misstep, leading to her own rapid downfall at the feet of the minions who, only moments before, simultaneously despised, feared and adored her--and all with the tenacity and devotion one affords to a queen.

as onlookers, we should ourselves applaud the downfall of this character--and wholeheartedly, but somewhere deep down there is a piece of each of us in her; and so we temper our applause with the bittersweet tang of self-acknowledgement. we know this girl, we've seen this girl, and on some level, we've been this girl. she is as vulnerable and as unsure as we are in the end, and for this--as rotten as she appears to be underneath the extent between her perfectly coiffed hair and her perfectly shellaced toes--we find we must feel some amount of empathy.  

january 31, 2016

it's been quite some time since i've written anything in association with this website. time flies, it's true, but also much of my own time has been dedicated to the collection, organization and restoration of items for my collections, most recently the James collection inspired by the controversial but (arguably) stylistically necessary film "Party Monster". it's a first for me, because although i'm still dealing with women's clothing most of the clothing in the film is worn, and worn well, by men. this, however, is not the source of the controversy with regard to the film. no, the controversy revolves primarily around the drug culture which permeates the storyline and also around the eventual murder and disposal of one of the film's more visually arresting characters.

the people in Party Monster are obsessive--about themselves, about each other, about fashion, about drugs, about culture, about fame. it makes for a fascinating expose on the 80's club kid scene, which in fact is not so different than any of the "scenes" which have, are and perhaps will always be permeating young america. like each of the films i've focused on thus far, for all of its differences from everyday reality there are infinitely more stark similarities which clearly and profoundly highlight the fundamental underpinnings of human nature and experience. this overall relatability amidst and underlying the imposed oddity is what establishes the massive following behind these cult films. we understand these characters--their pain, their joy. we relate, whether or not we ourselves have shared their exact experiences. each of us carries a little of the monster within, and for this reason alone, we hold these films and the memory of them amongst some of our most cherished possessions. 

on being green

from the inception of bright lights big pretty, we've had strongly forged in our minds the notion that this type of business is beneficial to the environment. it's an important aspect of what we do and why we do it: not only does the clothing we sell LOOK great,  it's also serving a purpose in that we are by example encouraging others to reuse already created items.  the impact is that we potentially help to reduce the number of new items required by any given customer.  this is not only important with regard to the use of animal lives, raw materials and the release of toxic emissions, but also stands to improve the quality of life in so many cultures in which the people are criminally underpaid to work in terrible conditions toward the production of the "disposable", cheap clothing that so greatly fills our malls and super stores. we're committed to this cause; so committed that from now on 10% of the sales of each of our collections will go toward an environmental agency or nonprofit of our choosing.  stay tuned for announcements on which agencies we ultimately support, and please, feel free to comment on any toward which you have a particular affinity. this is our world. let's keep it beautiful, one vintage outfit at a time. 

props to the competition, part one

i don't consider them direct competition per se because my own focus is more tailored to a specific genre of items, but in the grand scope of vintage clothing sales Pretty Penny Clothing does a remarkable job both with content and quality of merchandise.  with an online store and (i believe) two concrete retail locations in California, Pretty Penny manages to pump out loads of new pieces per day---all fantastic in diversity, gorgeousness and pricing. i very much admire their business acumen and their product, and think that if you're in the market, you should most  definitely check them out. www.shopseen.com/stores/prettypennyclothing

Heathers

as i begin to release items from my Heather collection, i think about what a cunning and nasty little piece of work the film truly is; and how very dead-on it remains in general regarding society and human nature. in contrast to the biting humor and outright viciousness of the film is the gorgeousness of the clothing and the perfection of the outfit assemblages---each Heather looks like an 80's angel as she works hard to make miserable the entirety of the high school caste below her. and in spite of her glossy, perfect exterior each Heather is herself as unhappy as those she deems to make miserable. it's a film filled with contrasts and juxtapositions; it's insightful and ballsy; and for it all, it works incredibly well. Veronica, the "non-Heather Heather" is an able and effective guide through all of the madness, and it's through her that we find some bit of resolution--the hope that there is some good in us, after all.  

july 19, a sunday

trying something new is always a bit daunting, at least for me. it's not that i don't love the challenge--i do--but the prospect of failure creates a fear seemingly ingrained into my DNA. usually this fear is unwarranted--usually i come out the other side unscathed and exhilarated and all the better for the experience. but i know that life is not always like this. the paths we take, the choices we make--they don't always turn out for the best. still, we trudge on, thrive, even, and live to take on a new challenge and a new day.

i'm grateful for the opportunity to try. i'm grateful for the opportunity to make scary choices, to make, sometimes, mistakes; to live through everything and learn from it all. i'm grateful that i've elected to not always take the easy path, the path most blindly trudged--i believe i gain immeasurably from each wrong turn, each new discovery, each time i push myself to face and confront and overtake the scary route. it's the scary route--the challenging route--which gains us greatness, in the end. and greatness is something we should all aspire toward, in whatever capacity it is that moves us. 

july 12, 2015

yesterday was rough. after a year of work, several months of promotion and a couple of weeks of being live; after all of the hours upon hours of busywork--put into making each and every item perfect not only for my collections but for the person who would, ultimately, be on the receiving end, i came to the realization that my sales were slowing to a fairly definitive halt. for someone trying to build a brand, it was a jarring, difficult moment. my friends and family tell me, "chin up, these things take a while"; and while i know in my heart of hearts that that's true, i, of course, thought MY venture would be a different one, that my journey would take a different route than the expected. 

today i'm still here, plugging away at the fine details, promoting my merchandise on social media, waiting for that turnaround. telling myself that what i have is a quality, desirable product and that eventually, the customers will come. telling myself that what i'm working so hard on day in and out is not necessarily for today, but for tomorrow. for the future.

customer relations

i take this job very seriously. from item selection, mending, cleaning and prep, branding, photography, written descriptions, presentation, and packaging, there is much time and care put into each and every aspect of each and every item presented to you here. the way that an item arrives to you is equally as important---beautifully packaged, immediately wearable, marked unmistakably with the BLBP brand tag. it's time-intensive work, and i take pride in every aspect of it, each step, every detail. ultimately, i want my online shop to grow to become an experience rather than a simple gallery of items. i want my customers to delight in their purchases---to find them to be even better than they had hoped. to receive a package and revel in the beauty of the wrappings and the attention to detail taken to insure the most positive and fulfilling shopping experience. vintage clothing is a thing to be treasured--like art--and i believe it should be cared for as such. it's my aim to do so, and my every intention to continue to do so.

on another note

Leandra Medine is not necessarily a vintage fashion maven, but the irreverent way in which she combines clothing and accessories to create looks that are totally unique to her absolutely kicks ass and makes her a sort of hero to me. She's the type of woman i relate to and aspire towards--her style, devil-may-care attitude and undeniable panache make her a stand-out in the world of fashion bloggers.  She inspires me.  She deserves a cult film (or at the very least, a cult following) of her own. 

If you've never followed Manrepeller on social media or visited her website, do so, post-haste. She knows what it means to stand out in a crowd, in the very best way possible. www.manrepeller.com

my first sale!

today i made my first (and second) sale and it feels fantastic. wonderful in some outlandish, inflated way. i want to celebrate. someone else appreciates my vision! this validation, however tiny, feels priceless.

i love everybody.

The Virgin Suicides

The premise was a daunting one: how to start a capsule collection around a film which ends, ultimately, in great tragedy. The Lisbon girls lived in a time of enourmous social change and excess, a time in which the sweetness of childhood, of girlhood, of coming-of-age was lost in the fray much too quickly. The repressive actions of the girls' overly protective parents served only to cage them and prevent any sort of natural transition into their tenacious environment, ending, of course, in rebellion and their eventual demise. The demise of beauty. Of purity and grace. Of innocence and the happiness inherent to simple things.

In the film, their suicide was a mutually agreed-upon revolt against everything ugly, negative and consumptive in the world.

In my collection i chose to focus on the lasting, inherent and ethereal beauty and grace of these girls.  In spite of their toxic and tumultuous environment, they remained as beacons of hope to those taken by them, even after their untimely demise.  There's something gorgeous about that, something telling. In each of our lives we seek out these tiny moments of beauty to propel us along through the drudgery and frustration that can be the meat of the average day to day.  Here's hoping that this collection brings a bit of beauty into your life, as it's meant to.  

June 23, 2015

after a 3 week road trip across the country to visit family and attend a graduation it's back to business. the trip, of course, included a few stops to search out some perfect items for my current and future collections. walking into a shop or a home and discovering something unique and ideal has become a not-so-secret thrill for me; on many an occasion i've had relatives, friends, or shop owners bear witness to my squeals of delight upon finding, for example, a vintage oscar de la renta scarf, hand-tooled leather bag or brooks brothers blouse. i envision in my mind how each piece will fit into a collection, i listen to how it speaks to me, i imagine building future collections around something totally unique and irresistible. there's so much satisfaction in creating a business around something you love, and something which innately drives you. from the films to the fashion, i feel compelled to not just collect but to immerse myself--to revel in the beauty, the mastery, and the eclecticism inherent to each piece.

May 30th, 2015

excepting the items for sale, BLBP goes live today. it's a huge step, and a welcomed one after the countless hours that have gone into its creation. future patrons and the otherwise curious will be able to see highlights from my first collection, Lux, inspired by the Sofia Coppola masterpiece and cult film The Virgin Suicides. they'll also be able to get a sense of the look and feel of the online shop, and they'll learn a little bit about me, too. here's to hoping that each and every one of them likes what she (or he) sees. here's to the start of a fantastic relationship between myself and all of you.  and at the same time, here's to making the world just a little bit prettier. 

ON MAY + PROGRESS

it's nearing the end of may. today was just another day--a day filled with photography and categorizing. it's funny how little time there is in an afternoon when it's jam packed with the minutia of putting together a small business. bit by bit, piece by piece, item by item i slowly progress---typing, posting, sometimes removing or rearranging. the more i do, the more i realize there IS to do.

still, it's satisfying. i can see, finally, the endpoint. i can see that all of my searching and researching and cataloguing is going somewhere, and soon.  i have high hopes for myself and this little business venture. it feels great.

about me

for as long as i can remember, i’ve been somewhere left of center; an organic flux of feminine mystique and “otherness”. in spite of knowing with clarity that i was different, i’ve always had an intuitive finger on the pulse of those things fundamental and beautiful in the stylistic world.

i’m compelled by the creative spirit within myself and others—in writing, in art, performance, music, film, design—each of these has informed and shaped my own personal aesthetic—an aesthetic that transcends time and place, an aesthetic that’s not easily placed into a box because of its ultimate and fundamental eclecticism.  i am attracted toward the best examples of so many things: i love the girly kick of glamour and bejewelment; but also the simplicity of clean lines. i love flowing, easy, stand-out knits. i love shit-kicker boots and tomboy jeans. i love refinement and elegance. i love statement hats and handbags. i love glitter.

i’m a maker, a collector, an appreciator of the beauty of the past and most especially in how it merges and mixes with the present. i’m rarely satisfied or compelled by things mass produced or found on a rack at the local mall. i understand the necessity of the basics, but also that for a woman such as myself and for those with whom i feel a kinship, the basics never define. Done right, style is an art form in and of itself.

it is my mission, as i believe it is every woman’s, to be somehow beyond the ordinary. i have always related to the female cult film protagonist, the “outsider”, though understand that she, ironically, at her core and in her journey, is an everywoman, albeit a stylistically elevated one--more colorful, ethereal or fierce, more memorable and outstanding. it is in the intermix of the fashion inherent to societal fringes: punk rock, glam, club kid, over-the-top romanticism, androgyny, classic basics with a funky twist, statement pieces, period pieces and more—which creates, to me, a rare style that i personally feel compelled to piece beautifully, to assimilate and recreate. 

i love the thrill of the hunt, and the search for fantastic, unique clothing makes my pulse race that much faster. the thought of sharing these fantastic finds with like-minded, strong, eclectic women excites me even further. Bright Lights Big Pretty is the dream platform which allows me to share all of these wonderful items, and spread their one-of-a-kind beauty a little further throughout the often ho-hum fashion conformity of the norm. 

Bright Lights Big Pretty

piecing together the bones of an online business sounds like a dream and it is, albeit a time-intensive, labor-heavy and sometimes mind-wracking dream. i'm a writer by nature but have never felt the compulsion to publish, and so this little e-commerce site, Bright Lights Big Pretty, this welcome and unexpected brainchild which marries so many of my interests--film, narrative, fashion, vintage, and more--is my first foray into public scrutiny and acceptance. it's terrifying, and i love the way the thought of all of it makes my heart race.

so please--look around, come often, check out my linked media sites and enjoy. you're always welcome.

marie