Vaginas

          So, we've all heard guys say before that women look their best wearing simply a white t-shirt and jeans. I have to say, I've never really believed that. I've never considered myself a minimalist and its hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that a white t-shirt can be the most flattering, the most alluring and the sexiest thing in a woman's wardrobe. Its not possible, right? It turns out, I was wrong. The white t-shirts you're about to see may be standard men's Haines cotton tees, but they are all completely, out of this world sexy, and here's why...

          This spring at Bishops University I signed up to perform in the Vagina Monologues, a work of feminist activism theatre that has been put on countless times at theatre companies and Universities around the world since its debut in 1996. For a relatively new production, it's done wonders for raising awareness on violence against women and girls, particularly through its involvement with the V-Day movement. If you would like to learn more about V-Day, please check out the website here at http://www.vday.org/home 

         When we started rehearsals for Vagina Monologues our lovely directors Kai and Elle warned us that since there was "a lot of estrogen in this room" with 21 girls, things could get testy. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Every rehearsal we bond, laugh, and sometimes tear up a little as we share the different monologues as well as our own stories about men, vaginas, moaning, girlhood, and various sexual encounters. We've become a family of Vaginas, beautiful, healthy, happy Vaginas and we're excited to share our work with Bishops on Tuesday.  Today in rehearsal we made our costumes, white t-shirts with various names used to call Vagina's written in big letters across the front. While the materials used to create these looks were the same, black sharpies and white-shirts, each person's costume is completely unique. Sometimes the handwriting is bold and uniform, other times its scratched hastily across or prettily drawn in soft cursive. I know its a little corny, but each one is special and different, just like our vaginas. 

        When asked why I wanted to be a part of Vagina monologues during the auditions, I stated that I love to talk about sex and vaginas. I have little to no shame when it comes to being open with people, but it's more that just that. I consider myself very lucky to have a voice. I can talk talk freely, without fear of retribution, on just about any subject I like, but there are so many women in this world that don't have that freedom. It could be because they are ashamed of something that happened to them, or scared that it could happen again. It could be because their families or friends wouldn't understand, or wouldn't want to hear their stories. It could be because their government is forcing them to keep silent. This is the biggest reason I wanted to do the Vagina Monologues, I wanted to give a voice to all the women in this world who are not able to speak. We are all in it together and I am doing this for them. 

       Please look at these t-shirts and remember what they stand for. Pussy, cunt, vajayjay, snatch, private, piggymonk, rosebud, box, twat, VAGINA, women. We are our vaginas, they do not exist separately from our minds, our bodies, and especially our hearts.  

        "The heart is capable of sacrifice, so is the vagina. The heart is able to forgive and repair, it can change its shape to let us in, it can expand to let us out. So can the vagina. It can ache for us and stretch for us and die for us, and bleed us into this difficult and wondrous world. So can the vagina."  -Eve Ensler (author of "The Vagina Monologues")

        These simple white t-shirts say all that and more. I realize now that they may be minimalist, they may be standard men's Haines cotton white tees, but they are unique and beautiful, just like the women wearing them. These t-shirts make a statement, we are making a statement, and that is what fashion is all about.

 Peace,

                         Helen

Ps. The show goes up on Tuesday at 8 in the Gait, come check it out

Pps. check out a different version of one of my favorite songs at the top. 

EDDY

         I have to start off this post by saying, it is impossible to talk about Eddy without first talking about her hair. Eddy has dread locks, crazy, fun, weird, all over the place dread locks. It would be impossible to speak of Eddy's style or fashion choices without first mentioning these dread locks because Eddy's Dready's embody who she is. Sometimes they are tied back with a ribbon, sometimes they are decorated with beads of flowers, sometimes she covers them up with a hat, but they are always so distinct, so unique, you can pick her out of a crowd, no problem.  Eddy is crazy, fun, weird and all over the place, just like her hair and I can't wait to talk about her.

         Eddy's style is comfy. She wears layers and layers and layers. Leotards, tights, leggings, ripped jeans, sweaters and skirts, all in one outfit. Her fabrics are always soft, organic and usually various shades of green, black and brown, earthy, I guess you could say. She makes fun of me all the time for being a hippy, but come on, she is way more crunchy than I am ;) She also has the added bonus of stating that all of her clothes came from cool unknown stores in South Africa or Namibia.
         Aside from being comfy, her style is fun. She will often be seen wearing big, colorful dresses, like the one in these pictures. Big, chunky buttons and mismatched colorful pockets, it's so undeniably Eddy. One of my favorites that she whips out of the closet every now and then is a soft white one with a pattern of  tiny blue flowers.

         Another one of Eddy's undeniable style traits are her eclectic accessories. In these photos she is seen wearing a beaded necklace, no doubt picked up at some arts festival in South Africa. She always has about 20 different bracelets on her arm, silver ones, string ones and beaded ones made out of magazine paper, all coming from different places. One thing I don't have in these pictures are her glasses, Harry Potter style. Glasses so cool Helen the costume designer of Oliver decided to incorporate them into Eddy's dog character.

         The best fashion comes from having stories behind what you wear and why you wear it. Having important people in your life give you things, or finding that perfect something in a second hand shop in a city you've never been before or since. The stories behind what we put on our bodies makes for the most interesting and exciting styles, and that is exactly what Eddy has created. She is a walking mix of culture, fun and love. I hope you all get chance to check out Eddy's outfits on campus, make sure you ask her where something came from, you are sure to be treated to a glorious story. Eddy is one of my favorite people here at Bishops, and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful. Plus she has definitely has the raddest clothes.

Enjoy a handpicked Eddy song at the top.

Peace,

             Helen

PS. A little bonus. Eddy and I sporting the ULTIMATE cool when it comes to fashion, tucked in pants with socks and sneakers. We were at the cottage over thanksgiving break and about to embark on a nature walk. Practicality always comes before style...... psh, as if, we look hot. 

Things To Be Happy About

  *Sorry it's been a while, and sorry it's something small. I'm deep in the midst of Oliver these days, spending more time than is healthy in the theatre. I don't think I've ever been this busy, or this exhausted, but its the best kind of busy, and the best kind of exhausted. Come see the show this week, check my facebook for the event page. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all the amazing support I've gotten for MONROE. Its been a really thrilling project for me and its so incredible to get this kind of feedback. I hope you all continue to love it as much as I do.


               This post is dedicated to Becca. My lovely, wonderful, don't-know-where-I'd-be-in-life-without-you Becca. On my 18th birthday Becca gave me a book called 14,000 things to be happy about. It was a list of all the little things in life that make people smile, make people happy, make life worth it. I read the book cover to cover and started adding my own additions to the pages. I gave it back to Becca a year later, and she's been doing the same thing. The best thing about this book is that it is always evolving, there are always things to be happy about, and its so important that we don't forget that. Here's a list of 10 things that make me happy, enjoy.

Things to Be Happy About

       So there are ten more things to add to the happy book, ten more things to smile about in this incredible, forever-surprising-me world. Now, I would love to hear some of the little things that make you happy. Please feel free to comment, to add, to expand. And Becca, thanks for being the best inspiration a girl could ask for, you are truly something to be happy about. 

Peace,

                     Helen