Posts Tagged ‘Wear-a-thon’

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Bright Young Thing Wear-a-thon, Amber Jean

This is Amber Jean, a bit of a gypsy spirit. Age 30. Yogini, mother, lover of life and fashion! When she got her dress, she immediately started to experiment and send us pictures of the  to many ways she could wear her little black dress. Her wear-a-thon embodies a woman who defies ordinary labels, who can be anything that she wants to be, and changes that daily. We wanted to share a little more about her and so we dug a little deeper….
WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND HOW HAS THIS INFLUENCED YOUR STYLE? My name is Amber. I am from Cincinnati, Ohio. This project has made me step back and become more aware of  how I choose my clothes and the impact of a consumer based purchases have on the environment. Exp. throw away society.
WHAT’S YOUR TYPICAL GETTING-DRESSED-IN-THE-MORNING ROUTINE? Usually I practice yoga in the morning so I choose some yoga clothes and some pieces to layer. Later in the day I go for comfort. I love dressing for myself. If I’m going out I start to lay some pieces out or get inspired by the right shoes or accessory.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE LAYERING PIECES AND ACCESSORIES AND WHERE DID YOU FIND THEM? I love layering with vintage slips,little sweaters, blazers, and fun socks. I also love scarfs! My favorite accessories are usually the ones I find at resale shops, or some family pieces of faux jewelry that where my grandmothers.
WHAT IS THE WILDEST THING IN YOUR CLOSET? I have a hot pink spandex outfit I used to go clubbing in. It even has razor blades and knee pads!
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME? JOBS, HOBBIES, PAST TIMES? I have two kids and have my own yoga studio. It keeps me on the run so I go for comfort most of the time especially great shoes.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL PLANS FOR YOUR WEAR-A-THON THAT WE SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR? YES as the weather is getting cooler I look forward to more layering and sporting the LBD in the yoga setting. The dress has such a nice weight I look forward to a little cooler temp. and the holiday look!

photo by John Curley

Anne-Marie Goco, Day 24

photo by John Curley

I’ve been saving the best for (almost) last… this is one of the most beautiful photo shoots we had during our Burning Man wear-a-thon.

photo by John Curley

These photos were taken atop, and next to, a big pile of burn barrels ready to be carted away. The burn barrels normally provide light and heat to our camps at night, but now they’re all dead, cold and ready to be stored for winter. They also happen to make a fantastic backdrop.

photo by John Curley

Even better than the backdrop is this amazing coat, which I’m wearing under the dress. It’s a bias-cut woven piece created by textile artist Lynne Bruning. Amber Clisura helped with the styling, and added a black petticoat underneath the woven coat. The final touch was this amazing belt, a loan from my friend Bad Ash who is a very talented thrift-store shopper.

All in all, this outfit was fun to move in and made for delicious photos. Though, to be fair, everything John Curley photographs looks delicious.

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See more of John Curley’s photos and read his recaps of this year’s Burning Man on the Burning Blog.

This wear-a-thon is a collaboration with Love&Trash, a DIY blog for people who do things differently.


photo by John Curley

Anne-Marie Goco, Day 23

As Burning Man ends, only the work crew remains. Some of us live in tents, and a lot of us live in old travel trailers, dotted across the dusty plain.

photo by John Curley

All the trailers are numbered, and this one is #01. That may or may not mean that it’s the oldest one out here… It’s definitely one of the coolest-looking, so I put together a retro country/Americana look to go with it. My friend Bad Ash loaned me this thrift-store half apron, and I added a flower at the waist and some chunky jewelry. Amber Clisura let me wear her cowgirl hat, and had me turn the dress around backwards to make a clean line across the top.

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See more of John Curley’s photos and read his recaps of this year’s Burning Man on the Burning Blog.

This wear-a-thon is a collaboration with Love&Trash, a DIY blog for people who do things differently.


photo by John Curley

Anne-Marie Goco, Day 22

My wear-a-thon is almost done, and I’m headed back to my “real life” in San Francisco. Before tomorrow’s final post, I wanted to share one of our earlier photos that slipped through the cracks.

photo by John Curley

In this outfit, I’m wearing the dress without any added petticoats, overcoats, or other frills. The primary accessory is this necklace, a handmade Scrabble-tile piece that was loaned to me by my friend Bad Ash.

photo by Rei Dishon

I want to use this moment to express my love for all the artists, costumers, designers and photographers who gave their time (and clothes) to our little wear-a-thon. There are so many creative people in the Burning Man community, and a surprising number of them chipped in to work on this project. Every day of the wear-a-thon has been surprising and exciting, and it’s all due to the tiny touches of those creative hands.

Throughout this process, I learned a lot about making “more from less”. I’ll never look at my clothes the same way, now that I’ve discovered what one dress can do.

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See more of John Curley’s photos and read his recaps of this year’s Burning Man on the Burning Blog.

Also find Rei Dishon’s photos on Flickr!

This wear-a-thon is a collaboration with Love&Trash, a DIY blog for people who do things differently.


photo by Feral Kid

Anne-Marie Goco, Day 20

This one’s just for fun…

photo by Feral Kid

We sometimes say that working for Burning Man is like going to summer camp. We bunk together, eat together, party together… and yes, we ride around in school buses from time to time. This outfit made me feel like a schoolgirl, so the bus seemed like a fitting backdrop. Back to school, anyone?

photo by Feral Kid

Here, I simply layered a knit jumper over the dress and put on a pair of light blue loafers. An easy look for a warm fall day.

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See more of Feral Kid’s photos on Flickr/NomadPhotos.

This wear-a-thon is a collaboration with Love&Trash, a DIY blog for people who do things differently.


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Lily Day 30

Time flies and summer is at the tail end. I have done so much, but there are months worth of adventures still to be had.

I also want to make so many more things before the heat of school burns away my free time. This painted silk shirt I am wearing with some loose black UNIQLO pants and under the LBD is inspiring me to batik some clothing. Hopefully I will have some time before school starts…


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Lily Day 29

I got girly today in the LBD, and tied in a bow over a homemade cotton jean skirt and striped pink tank with matching striped shoes. I made a bow in the center of the dress by twisting the two sides and then buttoning them together.

Stripes may be considered a stylish, hip, and cute detail in today’s fashion, but their history hasn’t always been so positive. They  originated in the medieval times as a way to identify sociatal outcasts (prostitutes, jugglers, etc) and otherwise it was illegal to wear the “devil’s stripes”.  Stripes became assoociated with the lower classes and were worn during the French Revolution.

Inmates were made to wear them and sailors adopted this tough look and brought it to the mainstream as a seaside favorite pattern.

It has been adapted and reused over and over so, I am curious about how we will view the stripe in a few years.


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Lily Day 28

Ethiopian food is my favorite food to eat; it is delicious, you get to use your hands, and the plate always stays clean so you don’t need to do dishes.

Today I wore the LBD over a homemade aqua crop tank and a pair of altered grandmother curtain shorts. As I ate my lunch next to a man eating a bagel, a little boy eating an ice-cream, a woman eating sushi, and a lady eating a box of Italian cookies- I was reminded of the diversity of the city.

Apparently when Ethiopian restaurants started in New York, they didn’t have the correct ingredients to make Injara(the sourdough bread) and used Aunt Jemima Pancake mix.

Now the correct ingredients are available and there are twelve Ethiopian restaurants in the city. It is a shame how few people have tried this amazing cuisine, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to spice things up.


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Lily Day 27

I usually don’t like to spend anytime inside but a rainy day calls for a trip to the movies. When it isn’t raining there are a series of free rooftop screenings that I have been meaning to check out.

There are such a range of theaters and a slew of highly acclaimed movies just came out so it is a hard decision(especially given that they cost $13 a pop).  

I wore my LBD over a homemade black halter shirt and an altered tassel knit and spandex skirt from Salvation Army. The sequined hat is borrowed from a friend who inherited it from her great aunt in Poland.


Ready for a rainy day of movies and hot tea!


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Lily Day 25

This triangular building in Greenwich Village used to be a dispensary that treated “Edgar Allan Poe” for a head cold, it then became a dentist office and was left with all the supplies and equipment still inside. Buildings in New York live many lives and their histories are fascinating, but rarely do you find a piece that is abandoned. I am  intrigued by the blatant disuse of this prime real estate. You can read the full story here.

I tried something new and wore the LBD as a scarf with an altered denim onesie from a yard sale in Gloucester, MA and a pair of door knocker gold earrings from a stoop sale.

I wonder what lays in store for this funky triangular building.


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Lily Day 24

I am living at my friend Ana Ratner’s house for the month.  It is a treasure chest of hand crafted works from South America, and there is always a story to go along with each piece. Behind me is a miniature model of skeleton Diego and Frida.


I wore the LBD over a floral dress from Urban Renewals that has been through its fare share of picnics and bike rides.


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Lily Day 23

Even though I hated writing book reports when I was little, Summer Reading was such a nice routine. I always dreaded the first day of school if I hadn’t read the right book, but now I am nostalgic for how seriously I took on the task of reading during the summer.

Now my summer feels too busy and reading has become an indulgence rather than a necessity. I am planning on enjoying some books this week while lounging in a park with a friend or two.

I styled the LBD as a cape and wore it over a vintage Dior shirt ($3!!) and altered velvet tuxedo pants-styled appropriately for a day in the park.


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Lily Day 22

I have been so attracted to African prints this summer. These pants are from a Senegalese clothing stall on 7th ave. After a long conversation with the shop keeper, I want to go to Senegal more than ever and listen to their amazing music. One of my favorite bands Amadou and Miriam are from Senegal.

I hemmed the cuffs of the pants around the ankle, and am wearing them around my waist rather than my hips, and wore the LBD as a crop top. My shoes are second hand snake skin that I brought to a cobbler who did them wonders.

Now I am off to apartment shop with a friend!


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Lily Day 21

I am always amazed by how drastically different the LBD can look with different accessories. Wearing the dress everyday encourages me to experiment.

I can transform my look day to day, but each item is also transformed person to person. These boots have gone from soldiers to hip second hand. My see-through lace romper has gone from lingerie to outer-wear.

These jagged black and silver earings from a yard sale in Woodstock, NY can make a look go from grunge to rockstar, elegant to diva, simple to stylin’.


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Lily Day 20

Sitting on the roof of my friend Ana’s house, reading, and sipping homemade lemonade has become a favorite afternoon pastime.

I wore my LBD folded over as a hem under a silk Tibetan skirt from “Little Tibet” on Mass Ave in Cambridge. Cambridge used to be made of specialty import shops that catered to specific ethnic groups, but now those are being replaced with banks and bistros. It could be a sad corporate and culture-less fate for little Cambridge.

Unless we support local businesses like this shop. This isn’t hard to do when you find beautiful items.

This pressed and dyed leather belt is borrowed from a friend who got it at Beacons Closet in Brooklyn where you can buy and sell items. I have yet to go!


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Lily Day 19

The little public gardens scattered through the city are such a charming relief from the stuffy heat. Today I had lunch with some of my best friends in the quaintest garden in the West Village.

This particular garden is called Father Demo Square and there are tons more all around Manhattan.


Today, I wore the LBD over a breezy Salmon dress that was a gift from the family I lived with while in China. On top I wore a Moroccan belt that a toothless man sold me for two dollars in Rabat. Take a break from using the computer and go out and people-watch, read a book, or snack in one of these cute parks.


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Lily Day 18

Recently I have been wondering why as we get older we no longer have animals like Sea Monkeys or Ant Farms, and I feel a little deprived. So, I am planning an aquarium and I went to the fish store to scope it out.

I was expecting to see the typical gold fish and minuet but instead most of the fish looked like aliens.

I wore my LBD simply as a dress topped with a coriander Kangol hat and belted with a scarf from a market on Portobello Road in London. That market is made up of hundreds of little shops where you can find anything from antique swiss army knives to knitted beer cozies.

I started to wonder if this exotic fish trend was contributing to any species’ loss, so I refrained from purchasing any fish until I am a more educated consumer.


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Lily Day 17

I just saw Salt n’ Pepa perform live and FREE in Brooklyn as a part of the MLK Summer Concert Series!

Salt n’ Pepa used to be style icons, and set the trend for empowered female hip hop performers with songs like: Salt n Pepa Shoop. It was a night of nostalgia where Old School was revered and New School was dismissed as being baby talk.

I danced up a storm in my Cousin’s old graphic T, my vintage white tennis shorts that I altered, and the little back dress keeping me warm as the night got chilly.


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Lily Day 16

Today I wore another homemade african print piece. I romped around town today in this romper under the LBD.

It made me remember a show I saw a few years ago at the Brooklyn museum of outfits by Yinka Shonibare.

He constructs eighteenth-century European clothing out of traditional African prints. The bright, festive colors revive the patterns and transform them into a politically charged aesthetic wonder that inspires me.

Check him out!


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Lily Day 15

I went on a little overnight to Bard College two hours north of NYC where I picnicked in wild flower fields.

It takes a while for my city gears to slow down to the stillness of the Hudson River Valley. It is much cooler in the country and so I wore some vintage high waisted leisure pants and a sun hat that I borrowed from a friend.  She got it in a consignment shop in Providence, RI.

This part of NY  is completely gorgeous and the clean air is a fresh change from sweaty, stagnant city.

Activities here can be so wholesome and innocent. When I got here freshman year I felt like Huckleberry Finn or some romantic character. In my spare time I started doing things like picking blueberries, hiking mountains, swimming in the swimming holes, riding bikes past stables and farms, and entering pie-making contests.