jodi's weblog :: smartly dressed in your pressed uniform

smartly dressed in your pressed uniform category archive

i have something awesome to show you

December 10, 2011

I missed this in my weblog feeds while I was away on vacation and when it finally came to my attention, it blew me away! I’ve been following Sandra’s weblog for a while, from back when I used to troll the Wardrobe Remix group on flickr looking for people with fun and quirky style. Last month she bought a couple of my woodblock printed bandannas from Ye Olde Etsy Shoppe The Second, and look what she did with them!

This is totally adorable and an idea I’m thinking about stealing. How cute would it be to sew four of these panels together instead of two, throw a belt over it and presto, instant dress? It’s a casual, easy style I’ve long loved, reminiscent of the clothing designs of Russian avant-garde artists Varvara Stepanova and Liubov Popova, which are constructed to make the most of whole, uncut cloth. These designers also influenced Andrea Zittel’s Personal Panel Uniforms series, and all in turn influenced my masters thesis, The Wardrobe Project (I mentioned them all in my thesis report, which you can download and read here, if you like). Now I need to crank up bandanna production so I can try out some dresses!

Posted by jodi on December 10, 2011 at 3.41pm
Categories: capitalist pig, fashion is danger, smartly dressed in your pressed uniform :: 2 comments

in which raquel welch’s nipples must be made of iron

May 20, 2011

(or, a continuation of our look at costume in Kansas City Bomber)

I know it was 1972 and all, but it made me cringe seeing the types of outfits that were worn bra-less in this movie. Sweaters. Shiny acrylic and/or wool ribbed sweater dresses! It was driving me crazy thinking about the possibility that she might not be wearing a bra during derby bouts, because getting hit in the boob is a thing of which I am terrified (in general, but especially while doing sports). After a thorough examination of the film I am relieved to report that a bra was worn beneath that skating uniform. THAT’S RIGHT: I went through this movie frame by frame so that you wouldn’t have to. That’s love, y’all.

So! Let’s talk about these amazing uniforms. Because I wasn’t kidding when I said I would wear this uniform every day.

Each team’s uniform has matching leggings, with a stripe running down the outside of the leg that is a smaller version of the stripe on the shorts. It’s more protection than it looks like, as dressing room scenes revealed that knee pads and butt pads are worn beneath the leggings. What I really love about these is the black protective pads on the knees and hips, particularly how the stripes continue right through the hip padding. As I no longer wear pants, I could easily see these leggings fitting into my everyday costume, especially in winter when I’m always looking for awesome leg coverage options under my skirts. Bonus for printmakers: there is padding located right at that spot that’s always getting bumped against the corner of a press bed.

I love that the numbers are huge (although for some reason it looks like the numbers on Welch’s jacket are printed up higher than everyone else’s; perhaps simply because her zipper is opened lower?). I wish that the numbers were printed on the shorts too, like footballers. Hell, I wish the numbers were printed on the leggings. I could totally rock some leggings with numbers on them. Hmm, I think a little screen printing project might be on the horizon.

I’m not sure why the women wear jackets and the men wear crew neck pullovers, unless it’s just a way to provide a view down the tops of the ladies. Besides the fact that the sideways-striped shoulder trim doesn’t make as much sense on the pullovers, where the form of the ornament doesn’t echo the cut of the garment, to me the jackets seem more masculine, as they call to mind that most manly of sports: NASCAR!

I wish the costume conventions of contemporary derby leaned more towards this look than the ripped fishnets look, because while I love me some ripped fishnets, tank tops and booty shorts, I love even more a woman who’s dressed like she’s about to pump gas or pop a rivet in your car. Tough is sexy and capable is sexier. And you clearly don’t want to mess with these broads right here (baubled pigtails notwithstanding).

They will break your wrist with the sheer power of their glares.

As for the depiction of the sport, well, derby was a whole different world back then, more focused on the spectacle and the pro-wrestling-style posturing and interpersonal dramas. I’m still learning how to skate and there’s a lot about the current rules of roller derby with which I’m not yet familiar. But I’m fairly certain that this move is a foul that would result in a penalty nowadays:

Although I do appreciate the fact that there is a massage table present during bouts.

Incidentally, you can tell which of the film’s skaters are actors and which are actual skaters by who laces their boots up all the way and who does not. Raquel Welch and Helena Kallianotes (who played Jackie, the rival skater): not skaters. In fact, you can easily tell when it’s Welch’s stunt double by the fact that she can actually skate well. Patti Cavin, who played Big Bertha Bogliani? Totally a real skater: