Tag Archives: drag queen

BEAUTY, E.O.F. APPROVED, FASHION, FAVOURITE FIND, HISTORY {is made at night}, NEW YORK CITY, Rebel Society, STYLE IDOLS AND DIVINITIES, STYLE {WISE}, Video, Vintage, WOMENSWEAR

I DON’T NEED YOU TO TELL ME I’M BEAUTIFUL! I KNOW I’M BEAUTIFUL!!!

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Fresh off our VMP DRAG FASHION FLAUNT at this year’s Vintage Marketplace, we can’t stop thinking about how incredible drag queens are, especially those of the {PAST} who paved the way for the {PRESENT} culture and creativity and will continue to invoke its {FUTURE}.

We know everyone who is anyone keeps up with RuPaul’s Drag Race, and the past season’s ALL STARS edition featured a wickedly hilarious Snatch Game that had Brooklyn babe AJA take on one of Herstory’s most legendary queens – founder of the House of LaBeija, and star of the cult 1968 documentary “The Queen”, Crystal LaBeija!

 

+GET A TASTE+

And she took her on with gusto and glamour, and also delivered this beautiful spirit back into the forum of the mainstream…much in the way Jinx Monsoon brought us Little Edie of “Grey Gardens”, and Sasha Velour took on Marlene Dietrich; keeping these divinities alive for younger generations is absolutely key!

How sad it is when you hear a young man or woman denote they have no idea who these iconic legends are . . . stay educated, kids!

“The Queen” is a fabulous film directed by Frank Simon, and provides an up close and candid look at the behind of the scenes of the 1967 All-America Camp Beauty Contest in New York City. It is a wonderful portrait of a time gone by. . . New York City is rough and tough, and men from all around America shack up in tiny hotel rooms in anticipation of the pageant discussing the difficulties of being gay in America. They are all fabulous, and its wonderful to see their final transformations from the male versions of them you see in rehearsals. This transformation truly proves the power of style and image to invoke strength from within.

Illustrated herstory by Laurel Lynn-Leake

By far, the most fabulous moment has to be Crystal’s freak out when she is named fourth place storms out and then rips everyone a new one backstage. Absolutely ICONIC…you are going to have to see it to believe it! And if you are a fan of Drag Race, you will really appreciate what Aja brought to the table even more.

We stumbled upon a full version of the film on Youtube, so check it out below and enjoy!

+Look out for Andy Warhol’s cameo (he was a judge in the pageant)+

Did you know Frank Ocean sampled Crystal Labeija ???

We love moments like this in pop culture where the {PAST} races into the {PRESENT} and ultimately shapes our {FUTURE}. . .  rebel queens like Crystal LaBeija will live on far past those who chose not to be the truest, most incredible versions of themselves.

I don’t need you to tell me I’m beautiful! I KNOW I’M BEAUTIFUL!!!

 

And really, we should all fell this way! Screw the haters- you rock!

Listen to that spirit within you, and let it free…

Until next time,

{theEye}

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E.O.F. APPROVED, FASHION, Hamilton, MENSWEAR, Rebel Society, STYLE {WISE}, Vintage, WOMENSWEAR

E.O.F. SPRING 2018 UPDATE!

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Greetings friends and followers!

It’s been a while since we’ve posted on here, so we thought we owed something to the gods of the internet! I can’t believe its been almost 7 years of us having this blog, and all the incredible things it has led us to, we couldn’t even have imagined on that fateful night we created it.

These incredible things, however, lead us to be very busy and it makes it hard to get time to create the content we know you love! So, here a little catch-up with everything we have been up to!

Spring always seems to be a busy time for us, and we have been up to some fun things. Currently we are creating a collection for one of our city’s biggest fashion events, Glamour in the Hammer. It is a wonderful event that helps support the incredible philanthropic efforts of the Good Shepherd and promoting the long history of giving they have done for those in need.

If you are in the area, tickets are still available, and are going fast! Ticket includes a fabulous fashion show featuring the city’s top designers, as well as drinks and eats from the city’s top restaurants. Definitely not to be missed. {click here for tickets}

This year, our collection +WUTHERING HEIGHTS+ hopes to bring a romantic edge to the grunge aesthetic inspired by the ghostly mood of the English moors, combining vintage fabrics and street chic style for many new one-of-a-kind pieces to add to the many creations we have made over the past {click here to see them}.

As well, as preparing for that, we are also embarking on a voyage to the 1980s with our costume design for Hamilton Theatre Inc.’s “The Wedding Singer” which has been chalk full of its own challenges, but insanely fun to sort through weird and wild 80s party fashions. The silhouettes and details of that time period are just over-the-top, and that of course, we absolutely love! Again if you are in the area, {click here} to get tickets for a wickedly funny show! Show runs May 11 – May 26.

Last but not least, we are fresh from our annual collaboration with The Vintage Marketplace, which is our city’s biggest vintage shopping event. Whilst we were berated by a historical ice storm, the event was still a success with hundreds of people making it out to shop from a myriad of local vintage vendors, with many new faces, which is always great to see our little community growing in that respect.

On top of our booth, which we were very proud of in the end, we also had the honor of producing some entertainment for the weekend. What we came up with, we never could’ve foreseen, but it all seemed to make so much sense, and was a wild way to shake up our usual fashion show segment.

Instead of a retrospective fashion show, we created the VMP DRAG FASHION FLAUNT ft. Queen Costia Sterling and Sapphyre Poison. If only you could be there to see how fantastic this show was (or maybe you were, if so, leave a comment), the Queens delivered vintage inspired numbers that ranged from Rosemary Clooney, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, and even a number from the iconic musical CHICAGO.

photo by @meg.eady

The most magical moment had to be when the many children who had come to the show gathered to watch the Queens, and the wonderful smiles on their faces as they watched the magic. Definitely a show for the books.

So, as you can see, we have been swamped with projects, but promise to get back more in the swing of posting on here. We have so many fabulous stories on the back burner that are just waiting to see the light of day, so definitely stay tuned…

If you have been missing us, be sure to follow us on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, and FACEBOOK to stay up to date, and see what we are up to!

Remember we also have dozens of unique, one-of-a-kind, time traveled vintage pieces in our {SHOP} which is always changing, so do check it out, and remember to use code XIXIXI for 25% OFF at the checkout.

Here is a shot of our wicked Navy Blue 1970s Lace Short Sleeve Mens Button Down Shirt modeled by our boy Geoff and shot by @gady.x !!!

+SHOP THE {SHOP} NOW+

Until we meet again,

{theEye}

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BEAUTY, DO IT RIGHT, E.O.F. APPROVED, FASHION, FAVOURITE FIND, FILMS, MUSIC, Rebel Society, STYLE {WISE}, TELEVISION, Video, Vintage, WOMENSWEAR

Maila Nurmi: Beat Babe vs. Squares !!!

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{MAILA NURMI & ELVIS PRESLEY GOOFING OFF}

When we say the name Maila Nurmi, you might not know who the fuck we are talking about. What if we were to say, Vampira? Of course!

Our current climate is so influenced and inspired by her delightful darkness, gothic glamour, and overall irreverence to almost everything! Oh, and did we mention she was friends with James Dean and Elvis??!

You might have even read our STYLE {DIVINITY} tribute to the goddess of creepy chic. Somehow in the 1950s at the height of conservative moral values, this daring Finnish actress rose to stardom with a status-quo bashing gig as television’s first last night horror show host of The Vampira Show which officially premiered on May 1, 1954!

As Vampira she retold the story of women in the media – not just prim and proper and ready to serve; the only thing Vampira was ready to serve was a bloody head on a platter for brunch. Its still hard for me to wrap my head around how she was able to get away with her gruesome take on House & Home living. All the more reason to worship this divine creature for everything she stood for.

Now, while Maila found popularity playing Vampira, she was an actress in Hollywood playing many roles. This next clip we found, we fell in love with – showcasing her talents in another rebel archetype that was taking hold in America in the 50s: the lousy beatnik.

A precursor to the hipster of today, a gateway to the free love hippie movement of the 60s and 70s. The beatnik was every conservative’s biggest pain in the ass. Like millennials of the atomic era- they were often viewed as aimless, pretentious, and overall whacky.

This clip taken from the iconic Beat-era classic “The Beatnik Generation” features Maila Nurmi pissing off a couple of squares with her off beat poem sporting a short blonde haircut and a rat on the shoulder;  she completely oozes this infamous generation’s vibe to the max! Its very comical…and tell me she doesn’t look a bit like Katya Zamolodchikova ?!

 

{CHECK OUT MORE MAILA NURMI INSPIRATION HERE}

Anyways, we thought is was all too fitting for The Eye of Faith and had to share! Lets keep empowering the brave, and blessing the bold, and letting people be the best they can be inside and out!

Let us all be a bit more like Ms. Nurmi, shall we?

Until we meet again,

{theEye}

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SHOP THE {SHOP}

XIXI GETS YOU 25% OFF

{SHOP NOW}

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FASHION, FAVOURITE FIND, FILMS, INNOVATION, MENSWEAR, MUSIC, Music Minute, STYLE IDOLS AND DIVINITIES, STYLE {WISE}, Toronto, Video

{E.O.F. Music Minute} Valentine’s Day-The incomparable David Bowie!

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david bowie
So in case you all didn’t realize already, we’re vintage obsessed.

Naturally, we grew up to anything inspiration with a Rock n’ Roll edge, and a revolutionary flair.  David Bowie was a perfect fit for us to call our Idol.  Looking past his music alone, his gender bending outfits, and diversity in his films – this man is astronomically talented!

We know he has many MANY amazing tracks and stellar looks ahead of him in his career for his fans to look forward to.  With films like Labyrinth and The Prestige, The Batman from Gotham City and The Man Who Fell to Earth, how can you NOT be a huge Bowie fan??

It may seem a bit soon to be posting a song about St. Valentine’s day on any other day than Valentine’s day, but anybody with half a braincell would realize rebels don’t care about dates!

Realizing this, David Bowie would obviously feel inclined to release a song about love and St. Valentine in the middle of summer.  We love him for that, and can relate.

We find it very romantic, and could this be viewed as an homage to the ever so striking love of his life/supermodel Iman? Or just a great song with a fantastic melody to make his fans swoon and melt?  Either way, to be lost in a mood of romance and harmony we are feeling very satisfied.

So check out his latest single, Valentine’s day and let us know what you think!

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Look for more articles to come about the Master of Music, David Bowie.

{The Eye of Faith}
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FASHION, FILMS, MUSIC, STYLE {WISE}, TELEVISION, Uncategorized, Video, Vintage

Commercial Break: Salon Kitty (1976)

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Nazis, prostitutes and horrors! Welcome to Salon Kitty.  Kitty runs a brothel in Nazi Germany where the soldiers come to “relax”. Recording devices have been installed in each room by a power-hungry army official who plans to use the information to blackmail Hitler and gain power himself. A girl named Margherita discovers the little ploy and with Kitty’s help plans to take on the dangerous task of exposing the conspiracy.
The movie was actually based off of the Salon Kitty incident during WWII when the Gestapo took over a brothel in Berlin (called “Salon Kitty”) and used it as a place to find traitors and enemies of the regime. Basically, all the whores were spies and fucked both German and foreign political figures while trying to extract information out of them.

The Eye.

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FASHION, INNOVATION, MENSWEAR, MUSIC, STYLE {WISE}, TELEVISION, Uncategorized, Video, Vintage, {PHOTOBLAST}

Gender Bender: You’re in Androgyny

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“As you know, I’m androgynous. I can wear a jacket that most guys wouldn’t put on. But you make it in guys’ sizes, and suddenly they’re wearing them. I think styles should get back to getting people to wear things that look so good that they don’t care.”
Steven Tyler

As a matter of fact, the hottest model of the season is no other than Andrej Pijec HIMSELF.  Yes, for anyone who’s been living under a rock, the photo above is an Aussie male!  The fashion world just loves an oddity.  Pijec has been appearing in the hottest shows for the past couple seasons, and is nabbing every campaign,  he’s a true sensation.  He recently riled up some naysayers when he was named FHM’s 98th hottest FEMALE by public voters!  Unfortunately the people’s choice was revoked by the Magazine who received an onslaught of frustration and confusion.

We say, if you’ve got it, flaunt it!  Are we going to dress as a woman tonight? Maybe not tonight… but we can still appreciate the diverse beauty the world has to offer.  We say let the people speak,  dammit!  Boy Girls and Girl Boys are here to stay.

Until next time,

{theEye}

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