Hello Kitty

It's presently raining rather hard here as I listen to an new recording of Schubert's Piano Sonata's in A major and  B Flat Major on Super Audio cd.

This follows his first in a projected series of Schubert series started late last year that I did buy as I was working through all the craziness of that period, readjusting to life minus Mom.

It just knocks you for six really before we bring into account all the many issues the Grump brings with him which finding ways of coping with did prove somewhat hit and miss with his lack of seeing just where emotionally his performances really take you.

Some spaces are best avoided really.

Helpful comments. inspiration and the like can come from many places and while we don't go into it a lot here some comes more from my other side and stuff like this by Hello Kitty really helps.

That takes us to other things.

Okay, some of you know I have a soft spot for cute stuff but I felt like talking about Hello Kitty which is something of an obsession of mine but anyway here we go.

Hello Kitty is a fictional character first created by the tv program company Sanrio in 1974 and registered in 1976.

As Ms Kitty herself has said a number of times recently, she's not really a cat.

She has a pet cat called Charmmy Kitty that she was presented with by her parents.

Her friends are Cathy (a Rabbit), Fify (a Sheep), Tracy (a Racoon) and Joey (a Mouse).

Charmmy Kitty has more cat like features than Hello Kitty herself and was presented to her by her papa, George White, Mama, Mary White, her sister, Mimi, and her grandparents, Anthony and Margret White.

Hello Kitty is good at backing cookies, making pancakes for friends, Origami, shopping for friends, buying things and playing tennis. Her favourite food is Apple Pie made by her Mom.

Her hobbies include travelling, music, reading, making new friends (one of her favourite words is "Friendship") and having adventures .Sounds like me!

Several Hello Kitty animated series targeted towards young children have been produced. In the animated films made by Sanrio from 1977 to 1985, Hello Kitty has made cameo appearances in them.

The earliest Hello Kitty animated series known was the American-animated (co-produced with Japan) Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theatre, which aired throughout 1987. This show was broadcast in the United States on the Family Channel.

The Japanese anime series Hello Kitty and Friends aired on CBS tv in the States in 1991, and also ran on Toon Disney. Kitty is depicted on the show as a little girl who lives with her mother, father, and twin sister Mimi, who is identical to Kitty but has different coloured clothes and wears her bow under the opposite ear. 13 episodes were produced, using animation produced as early as 1991.

The show Hello Kitty (and pals) have starred in at least one anime series of their own on Japanese tv. Hello Kitty's Paradise ran for 16 episodes between 1993 and 1994. This version was released in English in 2000. This version, like "Hello Kitty and Friends", also aired on Toon Disney.

Also Hello Kitty and friends appeared in Hello Kitty's Animation Theatre, which had Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters appearing in their versions of different fairy tales. Available in the U.S. From ADV Films (who also own the video/DVD rights to Hello Kitty and Friends & Hello Kitty's Paradise)

Summer is here

Start of Summer proper here with a fair bit of sun although it was rather drizzly over Tuesday so it's time to read the Summer Specials and make the most of the season.

Well you might as well take off the layers and let the fresh air and sun in trading sweaters, long pants or skirts for something much much lighter.

In world of big cats wouldn't you rather be a kitten?

Music I associate with summer does include this offering by the Jazz-rock group Santana who at the time included some tremendously talented musicians that originally came out in 1970 and spawned the single Black Magic Woman of which I still have the Columbia 45.

This is the super audio cd version of what was in that infamous one step double 45 rpm record set sounding better than ever for a good deal less.

Now to read the final edition of this, ghoulies!

Things I'm doing this wet day

It's not the best of weather today as I am sat here typing this weeks blog having just stolen a few only moderate showers moments to go out for a bit of permitted exercise before firing up the machine.

What she has to say is something I readily identify with preferring at times like thirty minutes ago to put thick pair of grey shorts on to go out in as you do need pockets at times and deep ones at that that rather than the sort that won't been take a handkerchief or your front door key.

What is it with fashion designers who work on girls and women's wear who seem to ignore such things? 

Between the wet spells I've been re-doing a few things for my music players and this one was one I got a copy of as the last time I had this was April 1988 which is an awful long time but it rounds up the Boston M.A. J Geils Bands output for EMI America from 1978 through 1982 which included Centerfold, a world-wide hit.

While I had the lp record version of Lights Out by the J.Geils Band lead singer Peter Wolf for a long time this only had a limited cd release and I had spent ages trying to track down this title and was able to get the US issue of it which included the hits Lights Out, I Need You Tonight and the fun space song Mars Needs Women.

A cats eye view

It was a cooler wet return this week as the political sorts were plotting and counter plotting over "Brexit", people on the South Eastern Coast of the States were warned about the upcoming hurricane Florence and I felt a bit under the weather.
That's why I'm doing a photo essay thing this week as I get to normal.

 I really love this picture where the cat appears to take the little girls photograph on the medium format film camera (which is why it's square shaped) looking through the viewfinder.
He's really clever.

 I'm a sucker for anything Hello Kitty and this show time star sequine dress is so cute I'm just dissolving looking at it.

 Things around Hello Kitty and teenage girls can get a a bit more complicated as they look for greater sophistication to match their more mature mindset but this just pulls it off with a mod to the Goth Style

 I don't personally see anything at all wrong with being female and wearing shorts especially where they are cut and even pleated to be so obviously feminine in appeal with plenty of air around the legs and making the most of your hips.
While here they are shown bare legged there's no reason not to team them with longer socks or tights.

Bags

I just adore cure airline type bags such as these

Cute fashion

You might ask about fashion because it is a good while since I blogged around that which isn't entirely unconnected with the changes I have been going through recently and that I'm trying to deal with on this blog.

This is more like the kind of thing I like rather more than more obviously for older people  fashions liking pastels and pleated skirts a lot. I'm not much for anything below the knee when it comes to skirt lengths.

Looks of a little me

If there ever was any real doubt at all over where I was coming from I think a lot of the posts I made around fashion probably would show it more because with some of compromises I felt were necessary they still very much "Tammy Girl" or the younger side of Top Shop than anything for people outside of their 20's.

This sort of thing is so me beyond talk of 'play clothes' or uniform liking knee or especially over the knee socks shorter more rounded skirts and relatively plain  but with some edge of fabric detail tops with longish sleeves as I don't feel super comfortable showing my shoulders and arms off.

Tidying up edition

Here I have been a bit busy tidying things up a bit and going through some older clothes that I'm just not wearing and giving some thought as to their replacements.

Well, I've always had a thing for Tartan going back to my mid teens and from time to time bought the odd Tartan skirt but I spotted this Green one recently going for a song.
It's by Jessica Reid, made here in the UK, is very well made with a built in lining and a belt loop.
The length of 27 inches is quite flattering  lending itself to more formal occasions and when it arrived it fitted perfectly. Perhaps it's perfect for wearing during Christmas?

Wash and go

I wonder how many of us scratch our heads when we see the following symbols on our clothes....

It would be great if something like this was given out by the stores when you buy items.

Roles

I wasn't too pleased when I woke up this morning with the overnight news to be honest and it's been on my mind all morning.
I was looking for something a bit more upbeat when I came by a longish article by the noted artist Grayson Perry around identity and presentation which made some sense to me and to which I'll throw a few observations out.
The first is something in 2014 I feel one shouldn't have to say but nevertheless tends to put in appearances which is wearing a dress doesn't make you a female because what makes you a female is your sense of the feminine  which may be different to mine but to which if your a female you do actually possess.
If you maybe don't bother much with dresses or spend hours on pampering this shouldn't lead to any questioning of your gender role any more than those who may spend quite a bit and like more overly 'dressy' styles.
Gender is just that a social construct not just a mode of dressing and what from within you ring to it makes you, you.
It may well be true that some interests tend to be followed by mainly by either males or females but that doesn't rule out being a female and playing Rugby any more than being a male and say being a Ballet dancer.
I think it's time people broke out of some of these artificial restrictions that prevent them from being themselves.

Think pink!

Pink is in this season and this applies as much to coats ans anything else

This from Asos (UK online fashion store) in pure cotton is a good example of this trend.

Twirl

Sometimes when you're not really expecting it, you see something that just sticks out at you

I like the print on her dress a lot and how she moves in it. Maybe when the weather gets better I'll find a dress like that as it's very much a Summer one to wear.

Cheered up edition

With talk of how a couple of upcoming cds by Demon Music group may be sourced from Mp3's (and bad sounding ones at that) as it appears the new Robert Palmer reissues have, it's hardly surprising I don't feel like talking much about music this week. I mean if I wanted a cd from mp3's, I like you could just burn off a copy using Mp3 to CD audio options of your laptops media making program using a dvd/cd drive!
Anyway I just love this look. Simple, refined and at the same quite youthful even, it ticks every box with me right down to the hairbow.  Exquisite.

Travelogue

I quite liked this photo of someone taking one and what the young lady in was wearing.

It appears to be a fairly bight day judging by the reflections for sightseeing on some kind of a trip to the big city although I'm not too sure if I'd be walking around in heels all day. That's tiring although I guess you could carry them in a big if you taking a trip to theatre in.
Would you?

Flower power!

There's always been something  about collars that intrigues me, the sheer variety with the use of contrasting colours but this is one that stood out recently for me

 I think that wide Peter Pan collar works well with the poppy print for a nice summery look especially with the accessories shown here.
Just the kind of dress I love to wear.

Stay cool

More hot stuff in a a week that's been pretty hot and humid here while I've been struggling with hayfever.
If you like stay cool, look cool and maybe get some sun on you the following summer short mini dresses may appeal:

 

The first is an Aztec print, the second a lovely floral print

Get your skates on!

The hottest tip apparently in fashion for Summer is skater skirts.

This is a pretty nice example from Miss Selfridge with a pretty floral pattern, and pleats in a 40cm length.

Tiered skirt

In from Definitions is this lovely Tiered Skirt.
It's really sexy!

Concealed side zip. Fully lined. Length 20ins. Polyester. Trim: Silk. Lining: Polyester.
Machine washable. Black.

Back to the 60's

There's a kinda connection between the last post and this in there somewhere but I was rather taken with this sleeveless dress.

Apart from being the kind of dress that's never really out of style it fits closely at the top but has a nice flared out feel in the skirt. It's easy to wear with a jacket and a few simple accessories.

Emerging

The great thing about the story of the Caterpillar is how it changes from the grub - yes the one you were warned NOT to put on your friends arms at school - from something a bit meh to something of beauty.
It's not that surprising it is used as a metaphor which the upcoming season kind of reminds me of from the dark, icey winters to the blossoming of Spring with all the flowers coming out.
This from Kaleidoscope is a lovely spring/summer T made from polyester with a lovely design on it says it all.

The design is called 'Together, is made from Polyester  and is easy to accessorize with necklace and a fashionable pair of sunglasses.