1950s Vintage Bowties on SFV and Modern Day Inspiration

New and rare 1950s vintage bow ties are for sale on www.strangefruitvintage.com!!

Here are the lovely Presius Skeletronix thoughts on how to rock the hell out of bowties this season...

I'm not a stranger to wearing bowties. Back in the day it was part of my crazy obsession with wearing mismatch or over the top clothing. I still love over the top, but now I wear them with the intention to add a light masculinity and class to my outfits. Vintage bowties can make an outfit become quirky and fun or sophisticated and intelligent.

I hope these pictures serve as inspiration to you when matching your new vintage bowtie find with the perfect outfit.

p.s. I've worn mine with high waist shorts and sometimes a pencil skirt. Next time I'm thinking cigarette pants, wide legs or suit pants.

-sk3x

Tease: Theophilus London's I Want You video

Here's a snippet of the upcoming video for the super sick Marvin Gaye sampled song I Want You. I ABSOLUTELY love the director Va$htie and I've worked extremely hard to keep my muse a mystery. lol
Enjoy, when I get the full length of the video, I will share.

It's a wrap. Rachel Roy does Scarves.

I love Rachel Roy almost as much as I love scarves. Here's a cute little "we've got too much time on our hands" video of how to rock the hell out of scarves. Also above are a couple pics of two of my fav New Yorkers (leaving out their names on purpose!) for the latest Rachel Roy lookbook.

Inspiration: Boxing Kitten by Maya Lake

I absolutely love Boxing Kitten for so many reasons. The fusion of African culture x  vintage silhouettes x modern practicality is fierce! Also, I think the designer Maya Lake is pretty bad ass. Here's a quick interview with Ms. Lake discussing the latest collection inspired by Josephine Baker.  Each piece is named after one of Josephine's female lovers!

Erykah Badu in Boxing Kitten

Collaboration Nation--- Introducing Presius Skeletronix

col·lab·o·ratE Pronunciation: \kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt\ - to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor

 

I'm pretty stoked about this...I am a firm believer in collaboration, in diversity of thought and in inclusion as much as possible.  That all scares people to no end. That "what's in it for me" concept is an epidemic and I think people need to (quickly!) realize that we are all connected spiritually (via God) and success doesn't come solo. 

Anyway, meet the newest addition to the Strange Fruit Vintage family. She is stylish and unique. She is passionate about fashion!  She digs deep to not only find trends (before they become mainstream) but she is also passionate about the history and the evolution of fashion. I love that!

I hope you will enjoy our new collaboration as much as I do. Introducing Presius Skeletronix..

First and foremost, explain your name...Presius Skeletronix.

I got the name Skeletronix after being interested in aliases and alter egos. I really just needed someone to take the blame off of me, Presius. 

Skeletronix became the high fashion bad ass. She has confidence and a very fearless sense of style.

What's your style inspiration?

I was picked on in high school for being an "outcast." And to avoid that I found myself just wanting to be normal.

I quickly realized that wasn't me and I needed to become comfortable with who I was as an artist and fashion fiend. I got into anime, Japanese culture and discovered Japanese street fashion. That really sparked my interest in being as unique as possible... and in good taste. I also look to fashion gurus like Audrey Kitching and Raquel Reed who are always glamorous and funky.

                                                                                       

As the newest contributor to the Strange Fruit Vintage blog and a continued supporter what does "Strange Fruit" mean to you?

Being "Strange Fruit" for me means being a well rounded person. You take the crap from society and find away to push on and persevere. You stay who you are as a person no matter what! And most importantly, you appreciate your opportunity to show people new outlets and new views on their boring style-jacking lives. lol

-Sk3x

Sonic Satisfaction: Janelle Monae presents ArchAndroid

My dear friend and music aficionado Efrem Sharp reviewed Janelle Monae's highly anticipated sophomore album ArchAndroid.

If you remember a few months ago I dropped her video for Tightrope which featured several Memphis dancers from UDig Academy.  I was stoked about that and having heard this album....I'm taking stoked to a whole new level.Click Here to read Efrem's lovely review of an even lovelier project. And Cop that!!

Fresh Daily: Travie McCoy

Travie (Travis) McCoy of Gym Class Heroes and his latest music endeavor Lazarus is a hint of perfection...to me. And his style is so fresh. I wonder if there's any room for my name...

check out his feature article in Honey Mag about life, love and most importantly good music. 

Happy 85th Birthday Uncle Malcolm

Inspiration: Lisa Bonet and Love

I wrote a blurb to go here three different times...None of them did this poem spoken by Lisa Bonet (written by Rabindranath Tagore) justice. She is a beautiful person to me, and has always been an ounce of inspiration dating back to when she was Denise Huxtable, weird, creative and just trying to figure it all out...like me.

I should have dreaded my hair when I was obsessive about it in the mid-90s. I'm sure it would look something like the lovely Lisa's by now.

"We must pause to weave perfection into music...Keep that in mind, and love"

Lisa Bonet Videos | Music Videos

Press: Live From Memphis x I Love Memphis love SFV

Live from Memphis, the premier crew for all things arts in the Mid-South recently produced a "Flipside" documentary in partnership with Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau. Basically, Flipsides highlight the rad things happening in Memphis that you just may not know about...yet.

Check out the video and check www.livefrommemphis.com for an artist directory (that you should be a part of), videos on local creative types and a great calendar of what you should be doing in Memphis, Tenn on any given day.



Also, I Love Memphis did a lovely blog post on Strange Fruit Vintage. Check it out HERE! Massive amounts of people read her blog, and you should too.

fresh daily.

One Little Black Dress > 365 Days in a Row!

What will you do for what you believe in?
And more importantly (to some) how will you look doing it?

For the last 365 days, Sheena Matheiken, a New Yorker by way of India, pledged to wear the same little black dress -- Every. Single. Day -- as part of The Uniform Project, her way of combining fashion, sustainability, and philanthropy.

It's served as a way to raise awareness of The Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots nonprofit that brings education to children living in Indian slums. So far, Matheiken's efforts have raised nearly $77,000 -- enough to send over 200 kids to school.

Adding in the sustainable element, she says, was a natural.

"I already shopped vintage and thrift-store stuff for years, so this exercise was more about formalizing that side of things," Matheiken tells StyleList. "It was more about showing that style can be very individual, and you don't have to follow fast trends. It was trying to bring that sense of creativity and individuality back into fashion."

For more information on The Uniform Project and to learn how to donate to the cause and purchase the dress worn by Matheiken, visit TheUniformProject.com.

via Stylelist

To read the full article and see an awesome video of all 365 outfits including tons of VINTAGE pieces click the below link!

How to Wear the Same Dress for an Entire Year

Chris Blake -Everybody Loves Chris Season 1 Mixtape Release Party Pics

"WHAT PEOPLE SAY THAT DON'T BOTHER ME!"

Chris Blake in his world.
This had to do with a line about a monkey on Chris' shoulder...i think.
Nothin' like a fur cap in the spring DJ CP the Great!

speakin' of caps, she made this one...fuh-ly...Val

Bert rockin the hot tee.

this is take two...I got all Omarosa on em the first time. hence the looks of fear. lol

Inspiration: George Arnett Dowdy II creates an instant classic

I've known George since probably about '98. He was part of the elite, award-winning and cult-like choir at Overton High School. I was a part of the common-folk, award-winning and hermit-like art deparment.

Department divides dwindled after high school and now I consider him a really good friend. A genuine, stand up guy with a ridiculously amazing sense of style, stunning smile and beautiful voice. The boy can sang!!

I recently went to George's first (questionable) self-composed classical music experience. Ya'll know I don't do reviews so I will say this...he created it all, the lyrics, the music, the arrangements. The first was a piece inspired by an author/poet/visionary near and dear to my heart Langston Hughes entitled "A Dream Deferred." It took bits of many of Langston's poems and with just a pianist and George created this journey through blackness, the desire to accept, understand and exist in an unwelcoming world. "They'll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed."

The second piece was performed by "the strings." I think three "regular" violins and one bass. Beautiful instrumental depiction of greek love stories. I may have done better in greek mythology if George composed it!

And the last piece took the words from God's Trombone by James Weldon Johnson (creator of the Negro Anthem "Lift Every Voice). Entitled The Creation: A Negro Sermon" George accompanied by four diverse singers, brought me to tears with the illustrative and beautifully sung version of creation of the world.

George, like you beautifully sang in the last piece...I AM saying and I AM so sure God said "that's good."

Pics below, support my friend oh and read his dope fashion forward blog (regularly) http://www.keepyourcomposure.blogspot.com/