The Beatles on Abbey Road's Curb

http://www.asksensei.com/gorindo/radio01En.html

I ran across this photograph in my GooglePlus account. It was one those random 'oh, you might be interested in this' posts, and I was interested.

"Abbey Road" is the first Beatles album that I ever bought. And if I'm honest, I committed a little larceny when I bought it at the what would now be called the dollar store in my neighborhood. I wanted "Abbey Road" first, but I wanted the poster that I knew was included in the "White Album" also. Hmmm. I probably didn't have enough money for the "White Album" either, come to think of it. It was a double-album, which would have been more expensive. Money was an issue. What I really would have liked was to have bought both albums. And I decided that I would take some from both. I was 12 or 13 years old, and I needed a Beatles album of my own. I learned to love the Beatles down the block at the neighbor's house. They were older, and they played records all of the time. Spending time with them was an initiation to all of the sounds. I was raised in a home where music was played, mostly jazz, and I love it, but moving from the tin-tin of my little radio set to an AM station to richness of music played on a turn table became my savior. It gave me an idea that life could be bigger than what I saw in front of me.

So, what did I do? I slit the plastic on the "White Album," pulled out the poster, slit the "Abby Road" record plastic, and slipped the poster in it. Hey, I'm owning up to it. I don't feel that bad about it. At the time, it didn't make it hard for me to sleep. I wonder if the customer who bought the "White Album" even knew that there was a poster in it.

And this picture delights me. I've looked at the iconic album cover more times than I can remember. But this is the picture. It is so human. They look almost - fragile. And is the woman with the band? She looks to be really checking out what Paul is up as he adjusts Ringo's jacket. Strange, isn't it, that the two that are still alive touch, and the bookends, John and George, are distant. Always, the signs; always, the signs. It appears as if Paul has his shoes on at the curb. He kicked them to the curb, and everyone thought that he was dead. But he isn't. Ringo needed him.

Kendall Jenner

Harper's Bazaar May 2015

Kendall Jenner is a pretty girl. Beautiful? Someday, maybe.

When the magazine showed up in my mailbox yesterday, the dress stunned me for a magical moment of color and imagination. Then, when I realized who the model was that is wearing it, I thought, "That's too bad."

I opened the cover of the magazine this morning, and on it was a Lancome advertisement with Penelope Cruz's face in it. Now that is a beautiful woman. And if she were posed in this gorgeously stunning Chanel dress, the visage and person would better compliment the couture.

Valentino! Beautiful

Jenner's stare is rather ... vacant. It isn't posed, it is empty. Is she meant to look so mannequined, lacquered? Who knows. But it doesn't do the art of the dress justice. Now, it would be easy for me to say that she is vacant because she's a part of the Kardashian machine of nothingness and the original vacancy, but she is only 18 years old. And one can hope, that she finds some kind of life of her own. Not something pretend, or manufactured, or only centered on what she is wearing and the selfie that she's sure to capture in every moment of her life. I realize that her appearance on the cover is a smart move. Millions are captivated by the train wreck that is her family's existence. I realize that many find them to be fascinating, beautiful, and everything that they are not, which is a sad commentary.

I visited NYC with some friends a few years back. I was unfamiliar with all aspects of the dynasty. We walked by a store, and a line of girls were in line for ... I don't know what? It was cold, so very, and we needed to jump inside of a store to warm up. I walked up to the door of the shop and was greeted by a burly security officer, who told me that the line was over there. What was this place? Why was there a line? Dash? What's that? Oh. And the line of girls ... this is what they came to see. Oh, dear.

Of course, the dresses are divine. In the end, it doesn't really matter who is wearing them. They are dress hangars for what is the true beauty. And the ones chosen for this editorial are stunning.

Again, this Spring collection is one of my favorites in years.

2015 Spring is a Very Good Vintage

I don't really ever mean to plunk down pictures torn from the magazines, but this season has been one of my favorites in recent memory. I like the '70's looks; the frilly white, nearly western looks; the hard and soft put together; and naturally, all of the black and white. All of these pages have been torn out of April's 2015 Elle magazine.

The first look here is Louis Vuitton ... naturally. The stripes are lovely, and the twist of the left hip stripe becoming horizontally makes it so much more textural. Is her arm on her left hip hiding a buckle? I wonder. Once, long ago, I got a hold of a piece of silk (raw) that was striped. It burnt orange and a deep olive color if I remember correctly. I had my mom sew a coat dress from me from it. She put gold buttons down the front of it, not much different than the ones pictured here. I loved that dress ... until the day when I woke up late for work, didn't have time to shower, and thought that it was a good idea to dowse myself with a Perry Ellis fragrance that I was trying out. Well, the try-out didn't work out, and the fragrance seeped into the fabric and never seemed to come out. I didn't wear it as often because of the ... smell. Too bad, it was a great dress.

The dress above is Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci (Kanye's buddy). The jacket is MONCLER. If you look closely, you'll see sweet Swiss dots adorning this slip of a pretty dress. It is so feminine, but styled with the leather makes it less cotton candy and more ... oh man, dare I say, like a Stevie Nicks' song: "You give me your leather, take from me my lace." Corny, perhaps, but stunning nonetheless.

This dress is another Riccardo Tisci. It's very nearly western. Of course styled with the studded belt and what is turquoise and silver makes it so much more so. If you look at the hem, there's a peak-a-boo of lace (again, the soft and hard contrast of soft - lace and it's a jersey fabric; and hard - studs and deep black). I'm not sure if I'm seeing correctly, but it looks as if there are buttons ... I'm not so sure that I'd wear this with the plunge ... but I would wear this to death.

I've shown this jacket before on the blog a few weeks back (the denim hippie look with the girl looking very '70's with part down the middle blond hair), but this is even more awesome. 'It' being a Gucci jacket. I went to see "Cinderella" this weekend, and I think that the jackets that all of the King's men wore look identical to this. Of course, theirs were made up in Disney jewel tones, but they looked like they were from the pages of a magazine (Cinderella's wedding dress looked very similar to George Clooney's girl's white with embroidery mullet dress that she wore on the wedding weekend). Again, the soft and hard look: transparent blouse, luxurious skirt under a strong, statement jacket.

This dress is from Mugler. I'm not sure if you can see it, but the top is sparkly with what looks like beads. The delicate netted skirt with the abstract swatches of the same fabric are is well. This is just a cool-ass dress. And she's covered (sleeves and neck), but she's not covered too. Sexy.

Oh, glorious Spring 2015! If only you were an indication of every season that strolls down the runway.

Jack White and Robert Plant

Rolling Stone  23 April 2015

The video of this Lollapalooza Argentina duo can be found on YouTube. It's a little blue and grainy, but it is well worth the viewing. Oddly, I had just purchased the remastered Led Zeppelin II which houses "The Lemon Song" that Plant performs with Jack White. I am having a bit of a love affair with Led Zeppelin this spring. I've always loved them, but after seeing the film "The Song Remains the Same" with friends, I'm obsessed. Plant has aged, certainly, but his essence, his vitality, is still very much a part of his performance. I can't wait to see him next month here. He may not be getting the lead out, but whatever he offers will, I'm sure, be amazing.

And with Jack. Heaven on earth. Plant says that he wants to partner up with White: "I love his buccaneer spirit, and the way he dodges through the musical horizons." Hear hear! And I do mean that I want to hear that collaboration.