What to Wear in the Green Hills of Africa

And now for my relevant post on men's business casual attire in Africa, yes please! I know you have all been waiting for this and yes it has been a long time coming but it is finally here! So, you are going to Africa. First off all, learn French, you will need it. Second, read The Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway. You might also try Going Solo by Roald Dahl and while you are at it, you may as well read the prequel Boy: Tales of Childhood. I'm also going to recommend that you watch African Queen and possibly a certain guilty pleasure of mine titled, The Ghost and the Darkness. 

Now that we've taken care of our minds, we can begin to look at the body and how one might dress it for their time in Africa. Something to remember about location appropriate clothing is that you often won't know how to dress until you arrive there. It may be difficult to measure your level of comfort in your clothes when you are not immersed in the environment you will be wearing them in. Also, it may be hard to obtain the style of clothing that you need in your area, depending on how different it is from your destination. So, plan on spending some money on clothes when you arrive, believe me you will feel much more comfortable after you have done this, it helps you to blend in, even if you are mixing and matching local clothes with foreign ones. The good news about Africa is that the locals pretty much do the same. Many people there wear western style clothes (i.e. jeans and a t-shirt). Some of them mix and match western clothes with more traditional African clothes. Obviously, we are talking business casual here so we don't want you running around in jeans and t-shirt even if that is what the locals wear. Still it might be helpful to have a picture of the general population.

This picture was taken in Cameroon after church services. You may note that the women are wearing below the knee garments, this is because the upper leg is considered to be a very sexual part of the body and it is not to be exposed. You can also see here that there does seem to be a mix of western and traditional wear. I am enjoying the lovely prints scattered about this group.

This photo was also taken in Cameroon. These outfits are looking pretty business causal to me. From the pictures I have seen the men seem to dress in varying degrees. Some of them wear loose, short sleeve, button up shirts with slacks. Some of the men wear sandals with their outfits. Some of them wear ties, some wear jackets. In the business culture, however, it seems best to be over-dressed rather than under, so in first time situations I would suggest wearing a jacket, tie and dress shoes, if you feel over-dressed you can always take your jacket off. I read that clothing is important in African culture. It defines status and how you dress for an occasion can express the level of respect you have for the host. At the same time it is important to conform to the societal norms of the community in order to gain trust, so there must be a balance.

One thing I noticed while looking at the pictures of people in Africa is that mostly everyone wears light colors. I think this is an easy way to fit in and it probably advantageous in the heat. Look for pastel button up shirts. It is probably a good idea to have some long sleeves and also some short sleeves, but you can always just roll up the sleeves of a long sleeve. It is a good time to find light colored men's wear, so get shopping! I found these at J. Crew.

Basically, if you are going to Africa and need some business casual men's wear, you need to head over to J. Crew. I hate to say it, but it's true. They have tons of light-weight, light colored men's clothing right now. It is simple, practical, stylish and easy to mix and match. I recommend investing in a nice light colored business suit. You can wear if for when you need to be less casual and you can break it up for more casual wear. Make sure to bring plenty of cotton or linen button down shirts, this will probably be your staple. You'll also want to invest in light weight slacks, again cotton or linen. The pants pictured above are business style and made of linen. I think they would come in very handy. I also like the idea of wear a boating or moccasin style shoe with slacks and no socks. It's casual but not less professional and I think it is a good substitute for the sandal.

When I think of going to Africa, or dream of it rather, I like to imagine that it would be something more like this. Tall boots, large hats, kahkis, open shirts, rifles and nobody around for miles. The phrase "business casual" and Africa may as well be positively charged ions as far as I am concerned... but when I look again at the J. Crew photos above, they really aren't that far off. They just need to get wrinkled and sweaty, unbuttoned and accessorized with gun powder. 

I have been lazy about crediting these photos. If one of them is yours and you would like it to be credited of removed, let me know!

An Education

My laptop has been with HP being "repaired" for like two months now (worst service ever!) and that means that I have been without Netflix instant play for far too long. I love Netflix instant because you can watch really bad movies that you would never dare to rent, then if they suck, you can just turn it off and pick something else! Anyway, during this period of withdrawal I discovered that Blockbuster has little to no selection anymore and it really is not worth going there. Most of the time I want to rent a movie from them and they want to sell it to me, but they want to sell me their crappy used copy and for that same price I could probably buy duo good copies from Amazon. Hey Blockbuster, what do you think I am? A sucker? So anyway, last night my housemate and I ended up in Target and we decided to browse the DVDs so that we'd have something to watch when we got home. I really wanted to buy An Education, but it was like 20 bucks and I know it will be half that in 6 months. I do hate waiting though... so I think I will re-live the movie again by creating a couple of style boards, alright then?

This image alone made me want to go see this movie. I talked my boyfriend into it (not a difficult feat) and off we went to the old Del Mar theater. I love going to see movies that I don't know much about. In fact, I knew so little about this movie when I went to go see it that I actually thought Ewan McGregor was going to be the lead man because-- doesn't Peter Sarsgaard look like him in the poster? Sometimes when I am in the theater and they show a preview for something I know I want to see, I will close my eyes so that they don't ruin the movie for me. In my opinion, they really show way too much! On that note, if you have not seen this movie, go watch it and then come back and read this post.

Here is my uncorrupted Jenny styling board. So lovely and innocent. If you want to go with this look find a sweet heart pendant, look for a simple, modest dress and add plaid where you can. You can also keep your eyes out for peter pan collars, tights, kitten heels, and fuzzy sweaters. Be sure to study your Latin and take plenty of tea with biscuits.

Vintage coat, dress, scarves, and locket from Etsy.

 

Here is our temptress. I really enjoyed Rosamund Pike as Helen in this movie. I think her due was lost in the Carrey Mulligan Oscar nomination surprise but I thought she was fantastic. She seriously cracked me up when I saw this in the theater. Plus, she played a pivotol role. David or maybe Jenny herself should ultimately be blamed for Jenny's demise but without Helen there to set the example I don't think Jenny would have been so seduced by David's world.

It's funny the way women can be such powerful influences on each other. I read a study once that said women check out other women more than they do men. I never thought about it before but I think it's true. You can see here that Jenny tries to belong to David's world by emulating Helen. What's interesting is that Helen not only influences her appearance but instructs her how to behave. It's so horrible to be a teenager and not know who you are or who you want to be. Everyone influences you in the worst ways. That is one of the reasons I loved this film so much, I can totally relate.

Here is my ruined woman style board. You can see from the photo in the above style board that before meeting David, she loves to dream about Paris and listen to French records. It's disturbing to see the fruition of Jenny's dream trip to Paris marred by the immorality of David's world. On the surface however, it is a pretty picture! I love Paris and Jenny looks so chic. It's really an easy look to achieve, all you need is a 60's wiggle dress with a interesting print, some Jackie O sunglasses and a head scarf! If you are a guy and you are looking for some elegant 60's inspiration just go with a skinny tie and pair it with a hat and scarf. 

Vintage scarf, guide book, and dress from Etsy.

Another thing I like about this movie is that Miss Stubbs really saves the day. Jenny is rejected when she asks her head mistress for a second chance, proving that the system is worthless but Miss Stubbs is thrilled to help Jenny, which I think illustrates perfectly the value of teachers. The story line is also a reflection of how many of us felt about our teachers, we under valued them, assumed they had no lives and misjudged them only to realize later the impact they had on us. I love the point in the movie, when Jenny realizes that she has misjudged Miss Stubbs and you can see the contrast between Helen & Danny's apartment (filled with ill-gotten goods) and Miss Stubbs apartment, brightly colored and decorated with personal objects that allude to an interesting life outside the classroom. The whole story comes down to a realization of things genuine and things false and the difference in the paths that leads to each.

Images taken from Sony Pictures Classics AN EDUCATION Directed by Lone Scherfig and Written by Nick Hornby.

Hey, Cinderella!

Why, oh why are these boots a size 5.5?

I love these. If you can possibly fit your little feetsies into these amazingly cool boots, I command you to buy them!

Hairstyles LOST

Dear Lost,


Could you please stop dipping the front of Jack's head in a vat of cheap hair gel before every shoot?


                                                                                                        Love,
                                                                                                        Your Fashion Conscious Fan Base

Yes, I am a Lostie and as can be expected I have really been enjoying this season of Lost. Just one thing has gotten in the way. BAD HAIR! Okay, now for those of you who watch Lost, you know that they aren't the most accurate about their characters appearances and also everyone dresses like they were originally cast for one of those dancing GAP commercials but then ended up stranded on an island instead. However, this season's styling has been particularly hard to ignore.

Look at them. I feel like they could start dancing at any minute, but then Sawyer would just punch Jack in the face instead of doing the choreographed lift. Man, that just doesn't happen enough. Everyone is in boring, GAP-like separates except for Charlie. He looks like he just wandered off the set of a Rolling Stone's photo shoot and ended up in this one by mistake.

Somehow Jack maintains constant stubble for this entire series, except for his infamous off-island beard phase. I have to say he was doing okay right up until this season. I like his transformation from 'grumpy but kind of hot, polished suit & tie man' to 'there's something more to me tatted jungle man' and I really love his 'alcoholic, punk rock, bearded man' phase. This season however, he appears to have transformed into 'going grey, irrational, hair gel man" and I really don't like it. Take a look:

 

Also, what is with this terrible side part? Sometimes I feel like if the camera were to pan down, he would be wearing a pair of little school boy shorts and holding a giant lollie.

Yet another example from season 6. Claire returns and wow, she really let herself go! Also, she is crazy. I love that she made a disgusting replacement baby out of bones and fur. It is like the perfect accessory for her new look. She doesn't look so hot in the flash sideways either, I know she is pregnant but is she wearing a wig or is it just me?

This is not unique to season 6 but... doesn't Juliette look like a troll doll? Her face looks like it is made from clay, plus she is always widening her eyes and flaring her nostrils to enhace the resemblance. Perhaps she is related to the original troll doll look alikes- the Olson twins! I can't help but wonder if the answer to LOST is somehow wrapped up in this connection.

One thing does remain constant- Desmond is a hottie! And I think he looks even better this season. No wonder my suspicions about him uniting the time lines are coming true. Desmond rules. I hope I do see him in another life.

This really says it all. Thank you Piper for this amazing photo.

With Silver Bells and Cockle Shells...

And so my garden grows.

All I want to do lately is work in my garden. I wish I could just run out of my office right now, take off my stupid work clothes and put on my garden getup! I check my seedlings like 3 times a day. I don't even have them in the ground yet and I already want to plant more. Last month I built some raised garden beds for my yard. My plan is to build a frame around them with a shade screen so that I don't have to water 5 times a day just to keep my veggies alive. My yard is like the surface of Mars during the summer. Phase two of my garden plan is bees. This month I officially became a beekeeper. I am pretty obsessed with it and I hope that my garden explodes with all the new pollinators around. Anyway, with all the pieces coming together I realize I have forgotten about the most significant part of gardening plan- my garden outfit! Duh!

Before we get started, let me just say that I hope this is not what's growing in my garden! I am supposed to surf the crimson wave today, if you know what I mean, and I want everyone to say a little prayer for a favorable surf report.

Moving right along, here is a lovely way to spend the day in your garden. Check out those biodegradable pots! I wish I had thought of that, I could have made my own and found a use for paper grocery bags (I'm bad about bringing my own). Also, I love overalls. They really put me in the mood to work. I put them on and I just feel ready. I always steal my boyfriend's overalls. I used to wear them to the print studio to work on my art when I lived in Santa Cruz. It was great because they were already dirty and had patches, so I didn't have to worry about staining my clothes! Now I just wear them whenever I know I'm going to get dirty. I realized as of late, the only work I enjoy doing, is work which gets me dirty. Eff my office job. Everyone in here is so clean and they are all obsessed with germs. There are hand sanitizer dispensers mounted on the walls! When I was little I used to EAT dirt. Those were the days...

Overalls from Built By Wendy

Sunglasses  and hat from Anthro

Hand crafted garden tools from here.

Herb markers from Justwork

Bio pots from ThistleFinchGallery

Hey Anthropologie, where do you get off selling flower print clogs for $148? I guess clogs are in now but these are glorified gardening shoes! They remind me of my second grade teacher, and yeah that was in the 90's.

Sometimes when I work in my garden I want to look like Edie from Grey Gardens. I want to tie a headscarf on, put on my duck booties and get to work like a babushka woman. I always think of Edie when I wear an apron. Aprons are so cute, I wish they went all the way around! But if I have learned anything from Edie it's, "Make it work!" Well, I gues I learned that from Tim Gunn but it is an Edie concept. I wonder if that is where he got his inspiration for the phrase. Anyway, what I am saying is that Edie would tie this apron around her head and make it look good. Or she would wear it as a top. The point is she would find a way and so can I. You can throw together random stuff, wear them creatively and look like a chic gardener. You probably don't even need to buy anything new!

Image from HBO's Grey Gardens

Vintage scarves, booties, and apron.

Gloves from here.

One more thing, isn't this awesome!? This is a sculpture by Marcos Carerra. He made it from old garden tools. I love it. The wings even move. Check it out!

Bridezilla w/ a Fringe on Top

I kind of do feel like barfing now after all these wedding posts, sometimes I wonder if I really could go through with this 'imaginary wedding' I have planned. I could totally see myself weighing the cost of the wedding against 3+ months of travel and ditchin' it all at the last minute in favor of travel. Too bad for me I don't really have that option now... still, I couldn't end this string without a  head to toe bride-guide. So, I have mustered the strength to do one final wedding-themed post.

First up, head gear! How to choose... It's a toughie. You can go with a veil, a hat, a headband, flowers, jewels... and then it's  what kind of veil, what kind of hat, what kind of flowers? I have a weakness for birdcage veils, personally, but there are still so many choices to be made. I love the gorgeous veil in the middle, it is like a hat-veil and it doesn't hide her face. Then again, the veil on the left adds a beautiful softness, and the veil on the right is just flat out fabulous. I mean, a giant tulle bow and birdcage? Yes, please!

Veils by TheLibertarian, TiedandFeathered, and Londonxox.

Flower head pieces have so much versatility. They can be hippy, or sweet, or avant garde. I'm not a huge fan of the hippy wedding look, so I didn't really include any wreaths crafted from sticks and berries but if you are into that I will say that the Etsy seller WhichGoose has some of the only tasteful versions of that I have seen. Hippies aside, I love this vintage daisy hat! I'm so into how old hats are really just expanded head bands. And Last but not least, check out this giant flower head piece! It's pretty bold, I know, but I think it looks really great. I think it's a clever touch of modernity without getting too far out of bounds as far as wedding wear goes. Great picture also--love that shadow.

Flower pieces by WhichGoose, TheLibertarian, and KettleDrumVintage.

For a more whimsical bridal look, I love these hats. The one on the right is darling. If I were attending a wedding this summer, I would definitely nab it... but I do think it would work great on a bride mainly because it would be unexpected.The one in the middle is classic and romantic, it remind me a little of Jackie O. The one on the left is pure fun. Makes me think of performers or the Mad Hatter.

Hats by CarmenAndGinger, AntiqueAndVintage, and CapriciousTraveler.

Here's the biggie. How do you even choose a wedding dress? I'm in love with all 3 of these. One of the questions you might want to ask yourself though, is how mobile do you want to be? The dress on the right is gorgeous, but it is huge and long. Dancing would be hard, but who cares if you are going to look that great, right? The dress in the middle is obviously the best suited to dancing, but when else can you wear a giant dress, maybe you don't want to miss out on  that chance. Or perhaps you can have the best of both worlds with the dress on the left. One thing I love about tea length dresses, they can be big but short enough to dance in. Plus, you can see the shoes! I'm also diggin' the blue tint of the dress on the left.

Dresses by SarahSeven, PantorabyAndrea, and Joanshum.

More to swoon over. Again with the giant skirt. Can you imagine being in the center of all that tulle?  Your new husband won't even be able to cop a feel on the dance floor! I'd like to believe that you would feel like a floating princess, but maybe you would just feel like you are trapped in a hole filled with crepe... Of course you could go for the sleeker dress. I like the one on the right because it is sleek with a little bit of volume. You'd probably have to be as skinny as a rail though, because those folds of fabric could end up making a girl with curves look like a pack horse. Great vintage inspired tea dress on the left. I love the sleeves on this one. It can be pretty difficult to find a wedding dress that isn't strapless. What about us busty gals? I don't know about anyone else but strapless bras are bullshit. If I opt for a strapless dress, I need nothing less than a corset!

More dresses by SarahSeven, BridalBlissDesigns, and ...? (I lost the link! Oops.)

And here come the shoes! Okay, so I didn't go for much variety here. I actually do encourage the use of color in wedding shoes, but it is hard to make a suggestion without any of the other pieces in place. So, I've stuck to classics. Check out the sweet little rosebud details on those shoes in the upper right. I'm also a fan of bows, if you couldn't tell. Everyone does things differently but I would suggest that you decide on a dress first, then decide on how you want to style it (i.e. sweet, edgy, hippy, vintage) and then decide on your shoes, veil, jewelry etc. Let's face it, when you are planning a wedding look, it isn't just a dress up or dress down option. There are so many options there may as well be a dress sideways, diagonal, upside down, and inverted option, also!

Shoes by Rsvp 1 & 2, Cole Hann, and  1, 2, 3 by Kate Spade.

Here comes the Groom

Yeah, what about the groom? Maybe if we could get our act together and legalize gay marriage there would be more focus on the groom. I mean, why is it that the toilet seat's proper position is lid down? Isn't it just as easy for the woman to flip the lid down from the up position as it is for the man to flip it up from the down? Not that I'm not a feminist, I just don't think we should give the guys such a hard time about it. Toilet talk aside...

In my mind, you better be going classic (and I don't mean boring) or you better be doing something different (and I don't mean something like you and your groomsmen all wear matching converse). I love the shiny lapel on this tuxedo, also I love this tiny little bow tie. If it were a kiss, it would be a perfect little pucker instead of a big sloppy dog kiss like most bow ties. Also, thank you J. Crew, every time I look in the men's section I want to die, because the models look totally hot. Hot for once because they have their shirts on, and they fit perfectly.

Decorous Decor

Apparently, when you have a wedding there is supposed to be some kind of theme that goes with it, or at least a color scheme. I don't know if I want to put my imaginary wedding in some kind of themed box... I feel that could be restrictive. I am toying with some ideas, however...

Annie Leibovitz's amazing Alice In Wonderland fashion shoot for Vogue 2003.

I love Alice In Wonderland but with the recent film release I feel it is slightly overexposed, but the I also feel that it can never be overexposed because it is a classic! The entire idea of a theme wedding is tacky. I am acutely aware that an overt Alice In Wonderland theme would be really tiresome, but I realized that a lot of what I want at my make-believe wedding is related to Alice. So, perhaps a subliminal Alice theme is okay.

Croquet for all! This is one thing I know I want. It is classy and fun for everyone. I used to play this when my faraway uncles and aunts came to visit and I always loved it. Ps: This little girl is adorable!

Never a Bride!

Three times a bridesmaid, never bride? Well, maybe that ain't so bad if you can look good doing it! Writing that prom post was weirdly overlapping with the wedding theme. Also, I received a special request to do a wedding post and guess what, I'm going to do not one but 3! There really is just too much to write about in one post. I might even do more than 3 if I don't feel like throwing up by then. I may as well admit right here and now that I am not currently engaged or anything but I have indulged in some advanced planning for such an event in the form of extensive day dreaming. This habit has recently increased because of my discovery of a certain blog, which I now follow, and has consequently poisoned my brain with wedding ideas. Now, I know bridesmaids traditionally do not look good (that's the point, right?) but I think there is a movement out there to change all that. Maybe then three times a bridesmaid will equal never alone on a Friday night, or something to that effect. Why are bridesmaids dresses traditionally so boring/ugly? Is the bride so insecure that we need to misrepresent the attractiveness of the other women at the wedding this dramatically?

Ugh, what year is this? Those bows on their heads may as well be dead frogs. Hideous. My point is, when you looked at this picture did you think, "Wow! That bride looks beautiful!" or did you gasp and ask yourself, "What are those bridesmaids wearing?" Now, regardless of your answer, you may be thinking, "Okay but this was then, nobody dresses their bridesmaids like this now", and you could be right... but you're not. Judging from those groomsmen's hair styles, that photo was taken within the last 15 years, which is a horrifying thought.

I'm also going to say, that I am not a big fan of the matchy-matchy bridesmaids either. So, while this dress is cute, it's kind of ruined for me because there are 4 people wearing it in this picture. Maybe it's something to do with that fear of showing up at a party where someone else has the exact same dress on, I don't know. It just doesn't sit right with me. When and if I have a wedding, I want my bridesmaids to look as beautiful as I do and I definitely don't want them all in the same dress. I mean, that is a basic violation of the fashion world! Plus, it's hard to find a dress that looks good on 4 different body types. I have seen some weddings where the bridesmaids were aloud to pick out their own dresses as long as it was in a certain color scheme. That sounds like a good idea, but I think I would be too worried about the cohesiveness of their choices. They are all going to be standing next to each other and while I do not think they should be in the same dress, I do think they should compliment each other in some way. So, I put together a couple of style boards, one in warm colors and the other in cool. I like the idea of bridesmaids matching in terms of the feeling that their outfits give off, with maybe a couple of unifying themes.

Promenade Across the Floor!

You know how in movies, characters are always asking each other, "If you could do one thing over again, what would it be?" and the character being asked always says, "Nothing. I wouldn't change a thing". Well, I call bullshit on that. If I could do one thing over, it would definitely be PROM! This is a cautionary tale girls, don't agree to go with your grumpy, closet-case best friend who thinks he's in love with you and don't agree to go with someone who isn't going to dance. If I could do my prom over again, I would ask one of the super hot, black, and (might I add) physically developed, linebackers from my high school football team. Not only did they look like 20-something year old hotties, they all knew how to dance. In addition to my date, I would also definitely want to change what I wore. I had to get a different dress at the last minute because the one I bought online did not fit. The one I replaced it with did not fit either, so I really do not know what I was thinking. Also, if I could go back in time, I would join the prom committee and take control of the decorating and etc. so that my prom would look something a little more like this:

Who knows if any teenage girls are reading this blog but if you are or if you know one, I highly recommend passing on these pearls of wisdom. Pearl number one, find a dress you love! Number two, find a date who is fun! Number three, dance! Number four, get your hair done! Number five, accessorize! That said, I have put together some style boards for different prom looks so we can all fantasize about rewriting history and/or pass it along to our teenage pals. In my mind there are really only three acceptable style categories for prom: Cute/Innocent, Sophisticated/Sexy, and Crazy/Original. Of course, these are not hard lines of division so, these three categories can sort of bleed into each other and create hybrids, but what's really important is that you don't look a) boring, b) tacky, or c) 13 (all of which can happen really easily).

This is my 70's inspired prom look. I love the weird colors people wore during that decade, like mustard yellow, peach, and off greens. For this outfit you definitely need a long flowy dress like this, I like the one above because it has sheer cover up with some really cute crochet detailing underneath it. True, it is a little conservative, but that will probably set you apart in a good way. As you will see I am all about clutches and rhinestones as far as accessories go. Although, I will admit that I hate carrying around clutches, so if you are like me, go for one with a chain. Another nice 70's touch is a corsage. It brings an innocence to the look, and it reminds me of The Virgin Suicides. If your date is going to get you one, make sure it does something for your outfit.  These shoes are adorable by the way. If only my feet were size 5 1/2... well, actually that would look really freaky, but if you are petite, congrats to you because all the cutest shoes are in your size and us normal people have to fight over vintage shoes that actually fit! 

Vintage dress, shoes, clutch, earrings, and corsage from Etsy.

Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair!

Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen. This post is about hair. It's such a mystery to me really or maybe I am just lazy, but how does one do their own hair? My arms get tired and really I can't even see what most of it looks like. I was one of those girls who always let other girls play with my hair. I was the one who was always having her hair French braided in class, i.e. the braidee not the braider. I don't even know how to do French braids! I hope in the future someone invents a machine that does your hair for you on a daily basis, like those ones that Gene Roddenberry thought up, where you just press a button and a homemade meal appears- only for hair. Gene Roddenberry evidently did not think too much upon the future of hair though, because this is what he came up with:

I like to refer to this character  as " good 'ol basket-head". I just can't get over how much this bad wig actually looks like a basket. Did someone just say, "Hey, I know! Let's just put this basket on her head"? If the future of hair is synthetic, woven beehives we are all in trouble. It's amazing that this show was made in the 60's because there was some really great hair happening at the time...

Dolly sure knew what she was doing in the 60's. It's the American way, bigger is better! Her hair just amazes me. I keep this picture in my picture folder just because I like to look at it. What a babe, too bad she got so much surgery, she really didn't need any. I guess I know how she achieved her amazing hair though, no need for a futuristic machine, this has to be a wig. Phenomenal though, just the same. Especially because she pulls it off without looking like a drag queen.