Comments on: 217. FFW wants to read: Posing Beauty (& wants to see more dandies, debutantes, models, beauty queens, politician and clubwomen)

By: 220. Why I love vintage, my first Ebay dress, the Oscars front row seat I was never given, the stodgy, glamorous parties I never went to, and the times I thought I was just a bird in flight « Fashion for Writers

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:56:06 +0000

[...] am Filed under: Uncategorized I have a long story related to this dress. (All of my stories are long, sorry.) I found this dress on Ebay for $3.99 during my freshmen year of college. I think I forgot [...]

By: 220. Why I love vintage, my first Ebay dress, the Oscars front row seat I was never given, the stodgy, glamorous parties I never went to, and the times I thought I was just a bird in flight « Fashion for Writers

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:16:51 +0000

[...] am Filed under: Uncategorized I have a long story related to this dress. (All of my stories are long, sorry.) I found this dress on Ebay for 3.99 during my freshmen year of college. I think I forgot [...]

By: unhappybarber

unhappybarber — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:19:38 +0000

Thank you so much Kadi. Your comment warmed MY heart! I love racialilious and have loved it since the beginning. I’m always astounded by how eloquent the writers are. I was especially moved by the article, “It’s Not All About You, The Case for Empathy.” I felt like the article was one big hug for my soul.

By: unhappybarber

unhappybarber — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:16:58 +0000

Catherine–thank you for your comment! It was your posting of the vintage photos you found in Taipei that inspired me to write this so THANK YOU for being you and being a kick-ass blogger. Your husband and your family sound rad. I wish our families could chill, they’d get along.

And ugh ugh ugh to Donna Karen & Calvin Klein. And here we go again with Mr. Lagerfeld.

By: Kadi

Kadi — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:32:47 +0000

Aww, this post warmed my heart because I totally get that frustration in not having the language to explain why this subtle racism hurts so much. I also love the minority solidarity!! My family emigrated from Jamaica in the late 80s so I understand how things at home are different than your friends at school. I found your blog through Racialicious (blog). You should check ‘em out. While every post may not resonate the blog gives you a lexicon to start verbalizing your experience.

By: beautifulrepublic

beautifulrepublic — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:36:22 +0000

I think Donna Karen and Calvin Klein have done the same advertising campaign — one in Hong Kong and the other in Viet Nam. I know in the Viet Nam campaign, it was fishing boats and blue and black “pajamas” on the “natives” and then Linda Evangelista or someone equally tall and white wandering the crowded streets full of psuedo-”peasants” in colorful sheath dresses. Ugh.

By: catherine_sr

catherine_sr — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:16:26 +0000

I adore this post and can identify with pretty much all of the experiences you wrote about, from Culture Night to comments in seminars that made me want to slam my head against the table (seriously, how are immigrant parents supposed to speak!?! My parents, husband and I were all pondering the exact definition of “bitch slap” a few weeks ago. Fairly typical conversational fare in my family!). Every time I handed in a paper about Asian Americans in a psychology class, I’d be called on to be *the* class expert on the AA experience in seminar. It was a really odd experience. On the one hand, it was nice as an insecure college student to be treated like an expert in anything, on the other hand, I hated being pinned up like a research specimen — while at the same time basically being told to do the same to other Asian Americans.

I remember a few years ago DKNY (I *think*) had a ad campaign where Jeremy Irons posed in moodily-lit street scenes that were supposed to take place in Hong Kong, I believe. Basically, the only Asian people in it were dressed up in straw hats, pulling rickshaws and looking downcast. Blech.

By: unhappybarber

unhappybarber — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:36:59 +0000

Hey Jane–I’ve been meaning to watch Platform ever since I saw the first ten minutes of it at a screening and then had a massive allergy attack and had to leave! Thanks for reminding me of the movie–I’ll definitely check it out. I’m looking forward to reading your post about ‘chinglish’!

By: unhappybarber

unhappybarber — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:35:51 +0000

Thank you so much Tiffany–it means a lot to me that my little thoughts crisscrossed with your world.

By: unhappybarber

unhappybarber — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:35:18 +0000

Hi Jin! Thank you! I wish you would start a blog…