Miranda July

Making transitions



transitional dressing for Spring

So the clocks just went forward and April is in sight but I’m still welded to my winter woolies. April is a transitional month for me, when I want to break out lighter, brighter colours but I’m not quite ready to detach from my cashmere layers. Plus, it still rains bucketloads, so a sensible top layer is non-negotiable.

Some things I swear by: Hanro vests and camisoles (there’s a new one out – ‘Ultralight’, 70g of mercerised Pima cotton, half the weight of the classic Hanro camisole. Can’t get enough of these), Levi’s 501s (there are the new C&Ts if you want the fashion version, or the old school ones in mid-blue are my go-to), cashmere socks (in pastel colours, from Paul Smith or Johnstons of Elgin) and Church’s shoes (new service launching soon – take in an old pair and get £40 off a new pair or a repair).

But on my transitional want list are J W Anderson merino knits, a Tim Coppens jacket, Charlotte Olympia’s kitty bag and the signature J Crew lipstick.

Words: Navaz Batliwalla/Disneyrollergirl
Main image: Miranda July by Stella Berkovsky

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Learning to love you more – Photograph a significant outfit



I’ve blogged about Miranda July’s art assignment website, Learning To Love You More before. When I made my encouraging banner I had no idea it would end up in an exhibition in Middlesborough, however that’s what happened. The fab Nicky Peacock curated a huge LTLYM exhibition using all different assignments from the website. You can see the pics here including my ‘Worry About It Later’ banner adorning the exit.

There’s a chance there may be an opportunity to see the exhibition again, I’ll let you know when it’s confirmed. In the meantime, I love this assignment called ‘photograph a significant outfit’. The task is to “remember exactly what you were wearing during a recent significant moment (something that happened in the last six months). Lay out what you were wearing on the floor, as if you are dressing an invisible, flat person. Stand on a chair or table and photograph the clothes from directly above. Send in the photo, along with the importance of the day.”

The following photos are taken from the site. As some of you enjoyed the Photographer’s Gallery’s Can’t Live Without It exhibition, this is in a similar vein. The point isn’t what’s in the outfit, it’s more about the emotional significance of the event. The stories that accompany the pictures are well worth reading and some are absolutely heart rending. But the pictures are utterly charming as well. And an interesting way to photograph outfits. I love it!






 

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Learning to love you more






Learning To Love You More is the brainchild of Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher. It’s a website comprising work made by the public in response to creative assignments set by July and Fletcher such as “Take a flash photo under your bed” and “Write your life story in less than a day”.

Here is the one I’m going to do: “Make an encouraging banner”

Think of something encouraging you often tell yourself. For example: Everything will be ok. Or: Don’t listen to them. Or: It’ll blow over. Now make a banner, making sure to follow these instructions:

1. Draw each letter of the sentence on a large piece of colored construction paper or big squares of fabric. One letter per piece. Draw them blocky so you can cut them out.
2. Cut them out.
3. Glue each one onto a piece of construction paper or fabric that is a contrasting color.
4. Then glue the edges of all the pieces of paper or fabric together to make a banner.
5. Hang the banner in a place where you or someone else might need some encouragement, for example, across your bathroom. Or between two trees so that you and your neighbors can receive encouragement from it. Or in a gas station.
6. Photograph the banner and upload it onto the site.

You can see examples of other people’s banners on the website here. UPDATE: You can see mine here.

The Co-operative Building in Middlesbrough is curating an exhibition of completed assignments which opens on 25th July. If you want to take part (have a go, it’s fun!) you’ll need to submit your assignment by 20th June.

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