Ok - you're freaking me out

Now, I love my readers - but one of you in particular is seriously freaking me the F out. Just what are you doing? In less than 5 minutes you downloaded over 20 photos of me - ME, not outfit detail shots. This is making me rather uncomfortable - please stop. Please take this as my first and only warning. If it continues to happen I will post your IP address, country, region, city, and service provider. Even if you change your IP address and service provider I will still be able to find you - and when I do, I will also post your profile. 

This is my blog, my work, my creativity - if what you find here inspires you, wonderful! I take that as a compliment, and I welcome it. Heck - download a photo or two - use it for ideas. Recycle the editorials! However a mass downloading of me and my outfit posts like this signals a red flag. Please stop.

Judas

After Lady Gaga's Bad Romance, I honestly didn't think that I would ever have any other favorite song of hers. Then came Judas. Ironically, I find the theme of the two songs very similar (where as the videos are polar opposites). To try an separate this song from religion would be nonsense; like a camera with no lens. From an intellectual standpoint, the video fascinates me. For the song itself, I found myself interpreting it as her struggle with the concept of her salvation; in the song she says that in strictest of Biblical teachings, she's lost. That for this fame of hers, she has "sold" herself. She's "prostituted" herself out in order to have her fame. But the world (the "cultural" side of the argument), is telling her "no - you're just ahead of your time". So the next two lines, I see as sort of tongue in cheek: "if I'm so damned - stop listening!"

"In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offense-d,
Or wear ear condom next time"

I by no means think that this is a non-controversial song. Gaga knew what she was doing when she wrote this. She could have easily wrote this same song , and not have used Christ and Judas as her two men. I see the song as a story about a mentally abusive relationship- Gaga creates herself to be a type of Mary Magdalene figure/victim, only she comes to the wrong man. Women who are attracted to "bad boys" often believe that they can "save" or change them. Any person who has been in a relationship with anyone has learned that you can't. 

"When he comes to me, I am ready
I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs
Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain
Even after three times, he betrays me"

  She claims to have entered into this relationship with Judas from a place of Christ-like love. Instead she finds herself well over her head - "I've learned love is like a brick - you can build a house, or sink a dead body". Instead of building a house life with her saved Judas, she is clinging to a brick that will in actuality, bury her. What a holy fool she is to think that she - and not Christ, could have saved this Judas. This is her Bad Romance. The verse "I am beyond repentance..." almost seems like a question in statement form. Am I beyond repentance? Did I enter into this relationship - this Judas of fame - to make a real difference, or did I instead sell myself to the self-whoring of fame? She knows where her salvation is, but she isn't willing to let go. Much like the bruised and battered wife who never leaves.

 The music video however, paints a different story. Gaga has obviously done her research on mainstream Christianity and hits many symbolic triggers right on the head. The opening scene has her riding with Christ, dressed in purple and decked out in gold head gear with scarlet nails, which are dripping with decorations. I have seen this interpreted as though Gaga were presenting herself as the Harlot of Revelation. I can see the connection - and yet, she ends the video dressed as a bride (of Christ)...also from Revelation. Rather than clinging to Judas as she does in the song, in the video it is Christ that she clings to - she only touches Judas twice, and once is to shove him away. Rather this video is about a woman who tries to protect her Christ figure, and fails. Both the song and the video have Lady Gaga attempting to save a man - be it Judas or Christ, and her inability to save either.


Ultimately I see the song and video as a question: Is it possible to save and be saved?

What do you think?

all screen shots mine

myVirtue

Have you ever found yourself on the brink of selling your soul, for the very purpose of preserving it?

EDIT: A few of you have asked if the first photo is me - oooh I wish! haha. Alas, no :( You can see the whole editorial and the info HERE. But I am so flattered you thought it was me!

The Essence of a Dress

My boyfriend and I have been doing a bit of re-arranging in our little studio. We were out scouting for a new couch, when I came across this dress. (I had side tracked to a vintage store...) 100% silk, it was the pattern that absolutely captivated me. It reminded me of watercolor, shades of light, and Monet. This dress is completely hand sewn, and light as air. Whoever made this, or who ever it was made for, had the exact same dementions and shape as me, because this thing fits like a glove! When the store owner saw it on me, she said "It's yours for $20." Done and done!

I've nicknamed it the Watercolor Dress.

Eeep!

I haven't posted since Sunday! Many apologies. New post should be up soon.

Bed Head

images via fashiongonerogue

Absolutely stunning.

Linnea Pihl by Rickard Sund for Costume magazine.

Quite possibly the sexiest case of bedhead, ever.

Let's try this again... Red Lace Full Front RE-Post

Blogger is back! However, I lost my post and comments in the process. Not fun. Anyone know why Blogger went down? I swear, the world stood still. Well, not quite. But almost. 

To those of you who had their comments deleted, I'm sorry.

Have a great weekend lovelies.

Red Lace Full Frontal

Jeffrey Campbell wedges

My new Kathryn McCarron dress as promised! This dress is super comfortable; and it gets looks too. I love how playful and easy it is. I'm thinking red lace is something that should be worn often. I've been in San Francisco a lot lately, and wow! The weather has been so amazing. It's been a nice extra little "pick me up". I have many things to be happy about at the moment, but I just can't seem to shake myself out of this funk. Sunshine helps.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Why, Yes I did!

Hi Imogen! Yes I did dye my hair - I don't think I had mentioned that on the blog. I colored it several shades darker about month ago to cover up the roots, highlights and red-ish color. Whew! My hair needed help!

:) Thanks for noticing!

PS If any one ever has a question, I'll be more than happy to post and answer it here on the blog :)
PPS Photos of my new dress coming next!