We're All Born Naked... And The Rest Is Drag! (ALTERNATIVE CURVES)

Greetings, fellow fatshion lovers! I come to you today from the comfort of my bed, surrounded by candy wrappers and books about fashion and feminism. It’s a cruel world, ain’t it?

This is the final month on the Alternative Curves blog hop calendar, and at present it is fairly undecided as to whether we will be continuing on with the hop. Life gets life-y, and then hops don’t get hoppy, and sometimes it’s just better to take a little break and reassess. In the meantime, the hashtag and account over on Instagram will always continue to be a gorgeous community of fierce and supportive babes, so please do join in! <3

The theme this month is Drag Queen, and well, I just ADORE the art of drag. My favourite Queen of all time is Divine, and I often think I should devote my life to being a Bio-Queen. But I also have a fuckton of other things i’d like to accomplish, so instead I just try to inject some Drag Queen Realness into my everyday life! (y)


This look was inspired by Manila Luzon when she first entered the workroom in season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I really like Manila, but I wouldn’t say she is one of my ultimate favourites in the entire history of the show. HOWEVER - up until that point, I had appreciated the styles worn by the Queens, but that was the first look that made me legit MOIST. And the looks represented on the show have continued to escalate in unique insanity from that point onwards (in my humble opinion).

I actually wanted to do a really detailed cosplay of this outfit, but I kind of ran out of time before I left Australia. So this is just an “inspired by” or “homage to” kinda thing. If you want to see some OFF THE CHAIN Drag cosplay, check out my girl; Lacey Noel. She totally OWNS.





Anyways, I need to watch a few more makeup tutorials cos I still feel like a total n00b when i'm trying to beat my mug real good. Send me your favs, please!

OUTFIT DETAILS

Dress: City Chic -Currently available similar ones here and here

Faux fur: vintage - Similar here

Tights: Can't even remember!! Similar at We Love Colours

Heels: Demonia

Earrings: vintage (were my Nan's) - Similar here

Gloves: a plain white pair under black lace - Similar here

Headband: DIY mannequin hand glued onto a headband with a cig holder!

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Phat, Fat Peacock (OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE RUE 107 CATSUIT)

Hola! I’ve been absent, but guess who just signed a lease on an apartment in Boston? MEEEEEEEE! Well, apparently it’s not definitely ours just yet because the American real estate world happens differently to here in Australia, but whatevs - i’m allowing myself to get excited already!

So i've been meaning to post about this amazing fatsuit catsuit that I bought from one of my (now) very favourite designers - Rue 107. I stumbled across them earlier this year when I was looking for something absolutely show-stopping to wear to the Curvy Couture Roadshow after party. It was going to be my first proper runway walk (and for 8 designers, no less), as well my birthday, and my boyfriend had just moved to Melbourne (for me... *shucks*)! I was guessing i'd better treat his eyeballs real nice and find something that made me look and feel INCREDIBLE. I had plans to make myself a pastel rainbow faux fur collared cape for aaaaages (as you do), and other plans to DIY an in-your-face feather head dress inspired by Isabella Blow (as you do). And I had an inkling this was going to be my opportunity for both...

First off, I was super nervous about purchasing this item cos it was definitely one of those things that was either going to be amazing, or hideous. All of the Curve models on the Rue 107 site are tremendous babes of epic proportions, but I had literally no idea how this suit would play out on me, because of my distinct lack of ass. If we're Instagram friends, you will be well aware of how often I lament this fact. We all know, curves are acceptable if they're in the 'right places' and of a certain proportion. Mine are not. And as much as I have spent many a year pining for the shape of those girls on the Rue site, I never ever will be that way. And over time, that fact is getting more and more ok with me. So, I sucked it up and took a chance, and holy shit i'm stoked I did.

See here, for all the fun times:




I actually forgot to wear this head piece the night of the show, so I was excited to replicate the outfit (sans my incredible runway makeup, sadly) for these photos. Speaking of which, while Sam and I were out taking the photos, we had a hilarious exchange with a drunk woman in a muumuu who sauntered down off her balcony and crossed the street to us while we were wrapping. It went something like this:

Drunk Woman: WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING FOR?
Me: Pardon?
DW: WHAT'S THIS PHOTO SHOOT FOR?
Me: Ummm... a private blog.
DW: FOR OVERSIZE?
Me: Pardon?
DW: IS IT OVERSIZE?
Me: Ummm... no? (I then clicked maybe she'd merged 'overweight' with 'plus-size' and I was just like wtf....)
DW: WELL, I'M A STYLIST. I JUST WORKED MELBOURNE FASHION WEEK. AND CAN I JUST SAY YOU NEED TO JUST HAVE FUN WITH THIS. JUST - HAVE FUN! LIKE, PUT YOUR THUMB (as she grabs my hand) AND PUT IT JUST IN THERE AND PULL YOUR TOP DOWN A BIT AND LOOK SEXY INTO THE CAMERA.

I legitimately didn't know what to say at this point, so I was just like "umm ok, thanks" and thankfully she retreated to her balcony of judgement, leaving me with a mixture of amusement, embarrassment and an unhealthy dose of anger.

I ask you, dear reader, to please view the photos above (all taken before she came over). Does it SEEM as though I was NOT having fun with this outfit? Does it? Hmmm. Well, just in case you haven't found me fun enough, this one's for you. And the drunk, arrogant stylist.

Now go and check out Rue 107! I originally had some troubles with their website registering the wrong international shipping price, but their customer service was OUTSTANDING and we even had a super cute skype call. I can't wait And if you haven't purchased from them before, make sure to use the code #newruegirl and get 10% off your first order!

Now fly, my pretty peacocks! FLY!

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The Importance of Being a Neo-Victorian Raver Babe (ALTERNATIVE CURVES BLOG HOP!)

The Alternative Curves theme this month is Neo-Victorian, and boy do I love any excuse to slip into a steel-boned corset! Incidentally: so does Gomez. Chasing my laces is his favourite past time.

I used to be fairly well into them, but this is the only one I still own. It also used to be too big, but one of the joys of accidentally getting a bit fatter is that now it fits! And man, if I do say so myself, my cans look ACE!

This skirt I made a few years ago out of a thrifted doona cover, for a Fellini-themed party... guess which film I was out of? ;)

I don't really know what else to say about it all, except - after we do a spot of reading and take a turn around the garden, we will definitely be on our merry way to a warehouse rave. Objections? I thought not...

Yeah, I made it in a hurry and never went back to tidy it up >.<

Big thanks to my love, Sam - for not only taking the photos, but for letting me have free reign on post-production. Not many photographers would allow that, and I am truly blessed to have an amazing pal that I can creatively collaborate regularly with! <3

Check out all the other babes doing this month's challenge, just below!

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MY DIY PINK FLAMINGOS COSTUME (PLUS 10 REASONS WHY I'M OBSESSED WITH DIVINE/GLENN MILSTEAD)

If we're Instagram friends, you may already know that last Halloween I dressed as Divine/Babs Johnson from John Waters' trashtastic masterpiece 'Pink Flamingos'. It was my biggest (pun intended) costume undertaking yet, and Sam and I got some epically fun photos I wanted to share. Since i'm not a total narcissist, I decided to intersperse them with this list of reasons why I am OBSESSED with Divine (and her male counterpart, Glenn Milstead).

THE COSTUME
The costume took about 2 months to (slowly) put together. I basically accumulated my own reference images and analysed every aspect of the infamous red outfit, and then set to work collecting the necessary items from around the world (mostly; eBay). I made the dress, heavily modified a wig (I'll post a detailed 'how to' eventually), and am SUPER fortunate to have a good friend who is a special effects artist (and my SPFX mentor). Without his bald cap application and (INSANE) paint job, this costume would have been at least 1000% less effective, and I can't thank him enough for his contribution.

I also padded my hips, butt and belly. To do this, I watched a lot of youtube videos on drag queen padding, but in the end I decided the easiest and most effective way was to rip/cut up an old pillow and use the inside stuffing under 2 pairs of flesh coloured stockings.

So, without further ado;

10 REASONS WHY DIVINE IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL

1. Her forehead is shaved with the sole intention of creating a larger canvas for eyeshadow. What's not to love about that?

2. Glenn Milstead never wanted to be a woman; he was playing a character. (Sidenote: this is a trait shared by one of my favourite ever queen's from RuPaul's Drag Race, Bianca Del Rio, who always refers to himself as a 'he' even when he's in drag.) As somebody with a love of acting and performing, I really get off on this notion of creating a character and adhering to it so much so that it becomes an alter ego. In fact, all of my favourite queens do this (Jinx Monsoon, Sharon Needles, Latrice Royale, Milk...) In Pink Flamingos, Divine's feminity is undeniable... the character's conviction and integrity; unquestionable. What a character, what a performance!

“Blood does more than turn me on… more than the sight of it, I love the taste of it. The taste of hot, freshly killed blood…"

3. Glenn was an advocate for self-expression and living personal truths. When he began dipping his toes into the Waters (hehe) of drag, he and John were going to drag balls where he was faced with the prejudices of thin and traditionally beautiful queens who wanted to look like “real women”. This was an imitation of the heterosexual world that, they felt, had in many ways oppressed them was. So why would he attempt to imitate that? Shouldn't he just do his own thing? He was fat and obnoxious, so why not have fun with it?!

4. For me, the character of Divine is still an ultimate icon of body positivity and personal confidence, exemplified by her in-your-face sexuality and extreme figure-hugging outfits (amongst other things). In fact, Glenn's entire careeer was essentially a rebellion against queer marginalisation, and to me, he was the original Lady Gaga.

WHO WANTS TO DIE FOR ART?

5. Doing drag in this era would have been BRAVE. For context: there was very little of a gay scene, because homosexuality was still illegal. “It was kinda more fun then" says John Waters – whose frank and subversive views on homosexual culture never cease to amuse and baffle me.

6. Glenn died on the exact day I was born; 7 March 1988. I like to convince myself that I am his reincarnation, but in reality March 7 in the USA would've been March 8 in Ausralia. I could've just been soul-less for a day, right?

7. The character of Divine is the basis for Urusla, from The Little Mermaid.

8. People who love Divine (and, I must add, John Waters) are united by a strong bond. A bond that screams “I am a juvenile delinquent” (despite our age) with an anarchist curl of the lip. This love (obsession, to some... *shifty eyes*) is entrance fee to a club that believes in “cinematic terrorism”, shock value with a purpose, and supports the Dreamlanders' intentions of rebelling against “suburban small-mindedness”.

"Kill everyone now! Condone first degree murder! Advocate cannibalism! … Filth are my politics! Filth is my life!"

9. I often like to sit and ponder, if Glen had lived, would the show be “Divine's Drag Race” instead? How about co-hosting, with Mama Ru?!

10. After his success in John Waters' films, Glenn continued to carve out a magnificent and steadfast career that involved theatre, musicals, comedy shows and DISCO stardom. These shows, no matter the context, always strived to push society's boundaries of what was artistically acceptable. For example, one performance involved Divine rolling onto stage in a shopping cart full of dead mackerel, which she threw at the audience while screaming obscenities. Make of that what you will.

............

If you made it to the end of this article, we are already best friends. I think you'll agree with me when I say: the world deserves bad taste. The world deserves Divine. So, thank you Glenn Milstead. You are the filthiest person alive, even in death.

If you haven't had enough of a Divine fix, I can highly recommend these documentaries:

I Am Divine & Divine Trash


Are you a fellow Divine and/or John Waters devote? Have you cosplayed as any of these characters before? Link me please!!

- Kobi xx 

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