La mort d'hiver

It’s spring. Sort of. And that means it’s time to retire my fall/winter uniform of the black turtleneck and Levis. And when I say uniform, I pretty much mean 7 days a week, unless we are going out and only then would I switch the Levi’s out for a skirt (usually black). The combo is an absolute classic and it especially works for the out-of-work woman who has no need to think about what she is going to wear everyday.





I think I first fell in love with the black turtleneck when I was in the 6th grade. I had just gotten my black “English Racer” 3-speed bike and I remember thinking I looked pretty cool racing down the street with my wild long blonde hair. (too bad my looks didn’t show up till the 7th grade-in the scene I am evoking, I am just a too tall, skinny, goofy-looking dork).



My personal television style icon was Emma Peel. Her black turtleneck exuded an elegance combined with a stylish toughness. I wanted to be just like her. I totally used that turtleneck to mask my shyness. Probably still do.




When I was in high school, my drama teacher sweetly demanded that I be narrator/stage manager for our production of “Only I Never Saw Another Butterfly” the collection of works of art and poetry by Jewish children who lived in the concentration camp Theresienstadt. I have debilitating stage fright. (you may wonder why I took theater to begin with) I told her that the only way I could do it was if I wore a black turtleneck and remained seated. She said yes. Whew!

(all throughout high school and part of college, I continued to take theater and speech classes so that I might get over my stage fright. never worked)



In film, the black turtleneck is an iconic look that has become almost cliché for the rebel poet outsider. From James Dean to Kevin J. O’Connor’s character in Peggy Sue Got Married. I looked around a lot and couldn’t find a single image of Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey or Neal Cassady in the requisite uniform.











And of course there is the classic tortured artist: Jo Stockton.









No matter, I still like the black turtleneck no matter how pretentious it makes me. Hee.

I expect that, in a few weeks, it will be retired until September. Next quandary: color. Color scares me.

Going outside, there is another sign of the oncoming warmer weather and that is the Deitch Wall on Bowery and Lafayette. Each spring for the last 3 years, we have been graced with public art on that corner, beginning with a reproduction of the Keith Haring that originally appeared on the wall. I look forward to the new murals and hope they continue every year.


('08)

(niece, bro/sis-in-law)

('09 brazilian twins Os Gemeos)


(prepping the wall for this year's mural)


('10 Shepard Fairey)

Go there now.






(and thanks go to Banksy for the image at the top of the post)