I Wish I Could Make You Understand

MC

Fairytale Lovechild

This dress I have created 'Fairytale Lovechild' is a dimension of my memoirs of a girl collection. This handmade, fully boned bustier dress is embellished with mix media materials including vintage family photographs, lace, beading, patchwork and paper. Inspired by my family and my very reason for being on earth hence the title 'Fairytale Lovechild'.

Rischenda xx

Flattery

http://www.leflattery.blogspot.com/

A fabulous blog I stumbled across while obsessing over lookbook the other day.  This girl is stunning! Not to mention some of the prints. Straight out of another era ... enjoy.

MC

Be free of yesterday ... embrace the strength & splendor of tradition!

An amazing e'Newsletter I received today from sass&bide. Their beautiful quote, scribbled effortlessly in ink reminded me of everything TTBA is about - being free of yesterday and embracing the strength and splendor of tradition. 

sass&bide's amazing new collection is out now

http://www.sassandbide.com/#/collections/papa_sucre

MC

Rad Retro Wallpaper

Available at Little Fawns

http://www.littlefawns.com/nursery_accessories/

MC

Introducing Anna Kosmanovski

Anna Kosmanovski is a freelance writer interested in journalism, copy-writing and online industries.* Recently attained a master's degree by coursework graduate (Deakin) with majors in journalism and literature and a minor in professional writing.* Has experience in journalism, freelance writing, copy-writing, marketing copy, some SEO familiarity as well as academic writing and research. * Favourite writers are Dickens and Hemingway. * A.C. Kosmanovski believes in the power of words as a tool to change the world, one sentence at a time.


Here is Anna's first article for TTBA ...

Where – oh where – do I see the 70s today? 
Anna Kosmanovski explores this question, possibly going off tangent…

I was sitting in a funky café when Morgan Connoley – one of the brain children behind this blog – asked me a question.
“What kind of coffee would you like?” she asked.
For a moment I was awestruck, rendered speechless; a distracted fashion-gazing mute.

For Miss Morgan was dressed immaculately. 
She wore shorts, had love-child streaming locks of hair and was wearing a black blazer. The outfit was something like what Forrest Gump’s love interest Jenny ‘Je-ni’ wore in the film meets Bridgette Bardot meets Charlie Angels.

As I was musing on the very vintage and fashionable look that was in front of me, I was reminded of the obvious presence of the 70s today.

To those parents, those eternal music lovers, those Austin Powers shakers and anyone else who has said, “The 70s? They never went out of fashion” I take my (metaphorical and likely 70s inspired hat) off to you.

It’s true – either the 70s never went out fashion or they’re back, 
or something in between the two because, baby, they’re all around us.

Go to any music festival and they’re you’ll see the 70s.
Recently, a little band called Wolfmother (yes the kind-hearted canine maternal influence of a wolf!) played a concert in Melbourne and any music novice, upon hearing the WolfieMother’s music for the first time, could spot the influence from the 70s. Absolutely.

That’s just one example: our music drips of the 70s and often when bands declare their “new” sound, there can be a 70s influence around.

Even just on a micro level, notice the influence of a vintage era in women’s accessories trends. Love beads anyone? And even – for those who don’t have love beads – wearing rosary beads is (apparently) cool.

Also, look at the cute little trucker Puffin’ Billy hats kids 
(including your observant narrator) wear these days as well…. You know the Kiera Knightly cute hat look, small brim pulled low over your forehead and a “don’t care – I belong in a bygone era” attitude. Seems very 70s inspired to me.

The 70s were a time of love child peace out man flowing making flowing hugging things. And in 2011, it seems being green and tree-noticing and “let’s not offend anyone, man – make love not war” vibe has come back in fashion. 70s push bikes are back in fashion, even (for the right-wing 70s dressers) flowered bathing caps are back in vogue.

Thankfully, there’s not a lot of those weird brown orange tan disregarded couch type colours around and – no-one goes to the beach anymore armed with baby oil, reflecters and bandeu bikinis. Then, do they? I don’t get out that much.

Yet, times HAVE changed since the 1970s. 
Skin cancer is now around, smoking will no longer make you seem suave or relax you (I’m talking to you, Marlborough man) and we don’t usually give fondue sets for Christmas.

Yep, I do reckon the 70s is still very much present today. Layered with the past with makes it what it is, this much-loved decade still continually revamps itself in our modern day and – I suspect – will continue to. It’s both ironic and delightful –just when a fashion label, band or designer – says: “YES I’ve made something DIFFERENT. Something fresh, something hip, something [awkwardly you finish their sentence for them because you know what they’re going to say) … something GROOVY BABY YEAH!” you can glimpse the influence of this awesome period of time, uniquely wedged between its unique and wide-spanning friends: the 60s and the 80s.

www.writing.com/authors/ackosmanovski
anna.kosmanovski.wordpress.com

Welcome Bienvenue Velkommen ようこそ Tere Velkomin Benvenuti

   

To Those Born After

We (Rischenda and Morgan) would like to warmly welcome you with  open arms into the big bad world of ‘To Those Born After’, monthly collation that we hope will blow your mind, enthuse you, bring tears to your eyes, onset a little giggle or even make you feel a little uncanny. And just to keep things intriguing, we’ll be brooding over a monthly theme from all sorts of angles.

As young creatives we are often recognised for having a million and one ideas flooding our complicated minds. God bless the easily accessible virtual world where we can impulsively upload whatever we’re obsessing over on the high and mighty blog site. You will be blessed with the words, wisdom and eye candy of some of our feature writers and artists. 

We, the ‘To Those Born After’ (TTBA) duo, would like to throw all our love and a big fat kiss to everyone who has helped us to get this ball rolling. You have made our concept vibrant and alive.

Happy pondering. We hope you feel born again.

Love Rischenda & Morgan x

TTBA  |  Issue 1 'Seven 0' ... Enjoy.

"Mum, I think I was born in the wrong era ... I think I belong in the 70s ..."

My mother and I often wander into ponderland over a cup of hot tea. Mostly we laugh. Sometimes we weep and fight, and at other times, silence numbs us as words are not required. We have a very creepy and innate understanding of each other.

Our topics of conversation are frequently varied, inspired particularly by ideas and concepts relating to art and music. Sometimes our red wines lead us to rather philosophical discussions about who we truly are.

Like my mother, I too struggle with what is both my burden and my blessing ...

I so often feel that societal expectations as I interpret them, constrict my impulsivity and creativity.

Why do I not feel drawn to the picket fence and the shackles of a mortgage and a steady small town job. There’s got to be more but how easy is it to forget that pearl of wisdom.

On one of the treasured occasions I frolicked around singing a song created in the moment, wearing my mother’s authentic 1970’s fur coat. She had kept this since her youth for a daughter she knew she would always have (i.e. me).

With a common smirk on my face I quoted “Mum, I think I was born in the wrong era.” She chuckled and spilt her tea on her knees. “I think I belong in the 70’s”.

She gazed into the distance with nostalgia lingering in her frighteningly green eyes. I sensed her recollecting both fond and difficult memories from her youthful days as her warm smile morphed into a thick sigh.

We then proceeded to have a beautiful conversation and it went a little bit like this ...

‘I reflect back on the 70’s with a certain level of ambivalence. This decade definitely had a unique feeling or ‘vibe’ which was amply reflected in the diverse ideas and styles which emerged during this era.

It was a time of simultaneous confidence and self-consciousness for my friends and I as we proceeded to explore other ways of seeing the world.

We were bordering the birth of post modernism and as students we were no strangers to critiques of institutional power and mainstream attitudes and value systems.

The fusion of art, fashion, music and all forms of self expression was a burgeoning force in youth culture and punk was rearing its head in Melbourne town.

It was a time of great artistic freedom ... 

If you needed an outfit for clubbing you could go to an opshop and find an old fifties bustier and petticoat. A few strategic safety pins and artistically coordinated rips and you were ready to go.

Whilst you may feel that you identify strongly with the ‘70’s in a romantic sense, today’s context provides a young person like yourself with even more opportunities for personal growth, self-determination and personal expression than ever before.

The ‘70’s was never ready for your unruly spirit young lady!

Have you ever had such a conversation with your parents!