Act a Fool
Hi everyone, happy Wednesday!
Ok well, no one took me up on my offer of a clowncore issue when I wrote about this JRAT ruffled collar, but joke’s on y’all ‘cause you’re going to get one anyway. I was inspired to dedicate this issue to commedia dell'arte after I went to go see NYCB perform Pulcinella Variations, featuring the most exuberant, zany costumes from Japanese designer Tsumori Chisato. My picks are a bit more low-key, a bit more suited for normal wear, but nevertheless I think they’d all add some “🤪🤪” energy to your wardrobe, if you know what I mean.
Diamonds are Forever
HARLEY WHITE CONVERTIBLE DRESS - TESSA FAY
Now that we’ve reached peak checkerboard, allow me to suggest a similar but less saturated alternative: diamonds — a print that naturally conjures up images of cavorting jesters. Who needs Lisa Says Gah when this harlequin-esque Tessa Fay dress exists? I love that it’s constructed from deadstock upholstery fabric (which means once it’s gone, it’s gone!), but its best feature, in my opinion, is that it’s convertible: there are elastic loops sewn into the hem that attach to buttons along the waistline, which means you can wear it short for the pre-Halloween party photos and then go long for some extra warmth once you’re out and about.
Sit Tight
PRIMARY FLORAL TIGHTS - BIRTHDAY GIRL
Do these tights go with the above dress at all? Not in the slightest, which is the whole point — clashing colors and discordant prints are welcome, even encouraged. I love the relaxed, insouciant flourishes of these tulip-patterned tights, all hand-painted by Birthday Girl shop owner Keely. Her childlike motifs, from gallivanting teddy bears to jumbo kissy lips to looping cursive swirls, all have a frank simplicity to them, like they were taken from drawings hung up in a second-grade classroom.
Clown with a Frown
PIERROT CIRCUS CLOWN DROP EARRINGS - GEM D’SOUZA
I bought these Pierrot earrings last summer, and so far they’ve managed to retain their crown as my all-time favorite pair out of my entire earring wardrobe. Brighton-based illustrator Gem D’Souza is literally the living embodiment of clowncore, and her exuberant, punchy aesthetic is right up my alley. The span of time between me first stumbling upon these earrings and me clicking “buy now” was probably about, oh, 10 minutes? Yes, the cost of shipping from the UK to here was like half of what the earrings were priced in the first place, and while normally such extravagance would stop me in my tracks, I breezed right through checkout ‘cause I was that obsessed — which is probably the most ringing endorsement of a product I can give.
Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com or swing by my Twitter @kitguo!