Fashion : Occult Audacity



Vogue Paris (Models.com)

Obviously, this year is very spiritual. I introduced it with an humorous article on Astrology, End of the World and Christopher Kane, and went on with a guide of trendy protections ( Shopping : Paranormal Activity ). But things reached a higher level with the launch of Marios Schwab Spring Summer collection : the London-based young designer adorned his clothes and accessories with occult symbols. Pentacles, Horus eyes, triangles, Freemasons compass, etc. The whole collection plays with the vintage esoteric drawings with a very surprising result. Bold or too risqué ?   

Marios Schwab S/S 2011 (Style.com)

Indeed, those symbols are not senseless ones. Some of them are sharing very strong meanings, which still scare some people. Things related to Freemasonry are not always well-perceived and each times the order's symbols are used, or thought to have been used, it causes an avalanche of reactions on internet. Artists using the triangle symbol for example, such as Rihanna, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga, have been accused of being freemasons. I won't launch into a decoding of this, because it would certainly cause a fierce debate and I'm not interested on doing this because conspiracies and such things bore me.

Francisco Goya - Flying witches

I'm not into black magic or occultism, but I have to admit that mysterious imagery entertains and attracts me. I am found of those old engraving of Baldung Grien showing witches, by the paintings of Goya illustrating witching hours, all the illustrations of those old books of ancient medecine and modern fantasy art. For example, I am really found of Emily the Strange's sibylline world. So, Schwab's clothes seduce me, but at the same time, I think it is perhaps too provocative. I would not go out with them, except discreet accessories such as the purse and shoes. It is not that I'm scared by their meaning; not at all. But I don't want to run in my aunt's path, you know the one who thinks that aliens exist and who talks with spirits. I don't believe in those things, so it would be inapropriate to show off with those symbols.

Marios Schwab shoes (Style.com)

What I would definitely wear are prints inspired by those symbols. Not mocking them : just paying tribute to the aesthetics. I picked two examples for you. First is a very cute dress of the Emily the Strange's clothing line, which reminds this interesting top from Marios Schwab's collection. Then, there are those crazy-fun-amazing thighs by Rodarte for Opening Ceremony which creates the effect of tatoos, without the pain and permanency, and have enigmatic vintage symbols on them. Great ways to be edgy without being too much provocative. And I guess, also less expensive ...

Emily the Strange 37,99 euros - Marios Schwab (Style.com)

Rodarte for Opening Ceremony $110,00

Special message : I won't advice you to buy Lady Gaga's prayer bracelets, but if you could have a strong and empathic thought for the people of Japan who are enduring something really close to the end of the world right now, and who don't find it funny at all, that would be a great thing. I hope things will be alright for them and I wish them good luck.

The Kei Islands: Perfect Paradise?

The most accessible part of southern Maluku, the Kei Islands are rapidly regaining their reputation as the place to go to look for perfect, unspoilt beaches. One of these beaches that is worth visiting is Ngurbloat Beach in Ngilngof village. Local natives call this beach “Pasir Panjang” or the long sandy beach.

The most popular destination is the island of Kei Kecil, which is connected by a bridge to the neighbouring island of Dullah. The bridge also connects the twin towns of Tual and Langgur that make up the capital of the entire Kei archipelago, and as such, the two islands form a practical unit.
In contrast to these two flat, deforested islands, Kei Besar, the largest of the Keis, is long, mountainous and forested.


The other islands in the Kei archipelago tend to be of the little white sands and coconut palms type, but the remotest of them, Tanimbar Kei, is noted for its traditional culture.
There is limited accomodation on Pasir Panjang on the island Kei Kecil, the best of these beaches. You can stay in small comfortable beach cottages built by the locals.They also can provide you with (warm) meals and fresh water. You also can hire a boat to visit the many small pittoresk islands or to go fishing or diving.



More and more people visit the Kei islands for surfing, windsurfing or kite-surfing or diving. The regional capital Tual is well connected by boat or by plane to the rest of Indonesia via Ambon, but has no attractions apart from its better facilities.





Local Culture

Christianity

The main religion in these islands is Christianity, with Kei being one of the few islands in Maluku where Catholics, rather than Protestants, dominate.
In fact Kei is seen as the centre of Catholicism in all Maluku!
Churches dominate most villages, and you may well be invited to join services on Sundays.

Islam

Away from the city of Tual which has plenty of non-native inhabitants from western Indonesia, Muslims are very much a minority in the Keis.
Keiese Muslims, like most in Maluku, tend to follow a very mild form of Islam, with veiled women a rarity. Mosques are mostly low-key affairs, too - however this shining new, Persian-style one is worth a look in its own right. It is on the outskirts of Tual, along the road leading towards Dullah village and Difur.

Getting There

By Air

There are several flights daily betwen Ambon and Langgur on Wings, Trigana and Expressair. Trigana also flies between Langgur and Dobo (Aru Islands) both ways, and from Saumlaki (Tanimbar Islands) to Langgur, while Expressair flies from Langgur to Saumlaki. Merpati also flies VERY irregularly from Langgur to Larat and Saumlaki.
There are plans to open a new airport with a longer airfield, which would enable larger aircraft to land here directly from Java and Sulawesi.

By Sea

Pelni ships conect Tual with Ambon, the Bandas, Dobo (Aru) and Saumlaki (Tanimbar).
They also continue on to Papua, Sulawesi and Java.
The KM Koromolin car ferry goes from Tual to Larat in northern Tanimbar (on Tuesdays), and to Kur via Tayando (on Saturdays) weekly, while the similar KM Lobster goes twice a week (Tuesday and Friday) to Dobo in Aru. Unlike the Pelni ships, these ferry runs are often cancelled when the seas are rough.

Well the Kei Island is rated in Lonely Planet as one of the top ten unspoilt beaches left in the world. As getting there takes much difficulty, be rest-assured that your excursion there will remain largely tourists-free.

For more information, visit Tourism Indonesia.

For more weekend escapade ideas, visit weekend.com.sg

Spotlight : (Not so desperate) Business Wives

These days, the 7th art is really disappointing : I didn't see Black Swan because I don't like those kind of movies which are so stressful you exit the auditorium with an uncontrollable need of chocolate, sweets and teddy bears to comfort you after this dreadful experience. I don't want sordid plots where the woman is led to madness and angst, I want to watch something to make me feel good, to entertain me with a strong heroine who has got the sense of humour, and who win over her difficulties. And in movies and literature, these days, it is quite impossible to find that ( at least in the examples I've seen lately ). So, I've turned myself toward what seems to become a shoot of the Cinema's tree : TV series. No more telenovelas, now series are treated like real movies, with renowned directors and actors, and brilliant plots. Everyone talked a lot about Boardwalk Empire, a bit less about a serie I consider one of the best I've ever seen so far : The Good Wife. The plot itself isn't very exciting : the wife of a politician, charged with corruption and sexual affairs with prostitutes, is forced to come back into the cruel world of work, in a lawyers office. But the writers are clever and the directing staff efficient, as the episodes are all dynamic with interesting subjects, with excellent wits, intense acting and crafty humour. For the persons who hated the judicial series ( it was the case for me ), you will forget your a priori.

Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife ( not the best examples but internet is a bit poor in series pictures )

If the character of Alicia ( played by Julianna Margulies, former E.R. star ) is a bit fragile and dominated by her husband and her situation in the beginning on the season one, she finally wins her independance thanks to the company of women who already have to show their guts in this world of men. Talking of fashion, Alicia is suscribed to high collars and strict suits, but the wardrobe assistant emphasizes her character with a lot of stretch dark red and blue. The red means at the same times that she is looking for her independance, at the same time in her career, her family life and sexuality, but also that she is still stained by the sin of her husband.
A character in a subdued style who fight her habit to give in toward men, played with nuances by Julianna Margulies, but who, more than anything, is a foil for secondary feminine characters.

Left : Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Alicia is a little thing compared to the female associate of the office, flamboyant Diane Lockhart, a woman with claws and mischievous eyes and lines. If we can regret the Botox, Christine Baranski offers us a show of elegant outfits and sexy dresses which proves that women over 40 can look great without playing the lolitas. It is also good to see the discreet complicity of the two women, very welcome after the creepy relationship between Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) and Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) in the anxiogenic Damages. I was in love with the wardrobe of Ellen, and Patty looked stunning, but the serie was really too disturbing. The outfits of Damages should be injected in The Good Wife, for the pleasure of our eyes and for this poor Alicia.

Rose Byrne and Glenn Close in Damages

But the most interesting female character is definitely those of Kalinda ( played by Brit Archie Penjabi ) an admirable young private who knows how to manipulate men with a lot of cunning, style and humour. If her make-up is a bit too outré and her hairdo too strict, her outfits are always great, with a lot of leather, mini skirts and nice colours, such as her purple coat ( not pictured ). It is great to see an actress, from what Holywood calls a "minority", being offered such an enhancive role. Archie is definitely the revelation of The Good Wife and I hope that Hollywood would learn the lesson.

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma in The Good Wife

I was not excited that much by the wardrobes of heroines of trendy series such as Sex and the City or Ugly Betty. The outfits used in the world of Fashion are sometimes very excessive and are not in phase with the real lives of real women ( with normal morphologies ! ). So, I am much more touched by the series which show working girls. We can put ourselves in their skins, and more importantly, in their clothes. Because few are the women who can wear Alexander McQueen or Dior in real life. You have to be a bit wiser and to admit that we, normal women, have to wear clothes suited to our lives. But of course, we want to be elegant and beautiful in each aspect of them. I suggest that we stop dreaming about the fashionistas of Gossip Girl, with their unlimited budget, and that we start admiring true role models with true wardrobes. You can dress soberly, even with some gorgeous pieces, as Kelli Williams, who plays the psychologist Dr Gillian Foster in Lie to Me, proves it perfectly ...

Kelli Williams in Lie to Me

Yes, the magazines show us great styles, and we can dream to own extravagant luxury goods, but a superheroine usually wears something that fit the work she has to do. A leotard to save the world, a Marchesa dress to walk the carpet at the Oscars, and office dresses to go to work and take the public transportation ... Frustrated, unsatisfied, rebellious ? If you want to change your wardrobe, then change your life. Too hard ? Then, there is only one option : being magnificent in a suit ... I'm sure you can ! And after an hard day at work, if you are tired of trying to be perfect, just collapse in your sofa and watch The Good Wife ...