What do you want? (Shoes, duh.)

In my world, everything leads back to Babylon 5.

Babylon 5 is one of the best science fiction shows ever created. It was the first (along with SeaQuest in 1993) to use purely digital special effects on television, has great characters (both personality and character design), and broke the “monster of the week” mold to write the story of both the human race and an awesome space station. There’s telepaths, prophecies, romance, time travel and epic battles. Also King Arthur. You should watch it.

I tend to ascribe more influence to B5 than perhaps it merits, especially in non-television realms, but these shoes by Anastasia Radevich are the shoe form of an alien race in the B5-verse: the Shadows.

It’s all there–the stars and space, the intricate design, almost spider-like design, the impossible-seeming “organic” technology. There’s even a feeling of anti-gravity since the soles aren’t resting on the ground. These guys would make a great addition to a scifi-inspired outfit.

All 5 season of Babylon 5 are available streaming on Netflix. Go watch–this blog will still be here when you come back.

(via The Shoe Girl via Susie Bubble and Luxirare)

Speaking of the Grammys

Beyonce’s dress looked like a stormtrooper.

AWESOME.

A.McQueen, Pt. 1

I adore Alexander McQueen. His fall/winter 2006 collection was my gateway drug to fashion (he made me like plaid!). I don’t really know how to say this without sounding pretentious, but I think we’re very similar in how we view things–both very romantic and very cynical. Most of all, I like how he presents  wearable clothes in unpredictable ways, which is why he’s one of the only designers I mark on my calendar during fashion week. I’m always excited for his shows.

His fall/winter 2009 collection, though? Made me ill. I had never really understood how clothes could create a mood until I flipped through style.com last spring–the combination of garish, unnatural makeup and harsh clothes made me feel physically repulsed. The show created a scary, disconcerting feeling that I, and nearly everybody else it seems, wasn’t prepared for.

Of course, all this reflected in reviews–how he’s doing a retrospective, or reflecting on the state of the economy, blah blah blah. Whatever. What got me was all the buzz about “porn star lips,” “sex doll lips”…stop. What? No.

Porn star lipstick with the pale skin and those clothes? Doesn’t add up. The scifi geek in me knew what was up. Alexander McQueen discovered Firefly. The trash on the set and hats, the grotesque silhouettes, the disfiguring makeup, it all adds up to one thing: Reavers.

I see what you did there, Mr McQueen. You can’t fool me–trying to pass off your closet scifi habit on weird fashion fetishes. You didn’t think anyone else would notice? Psh.

Clearly, there is one lesson to be learned here (and from this post): Fashionistas need to watch more scifi.

[Images courtesy of style.com and c-k.net]

Doctor Who, meet Dune

Looks like Angela Missoni was watching a little too much science fiction when she was designing this season. The Fourth Doctor’s scarf and the desert robes of the Fremen (from Frank Herbert’s Dune) are major pieces in Missoni FW 09. Hey, I’m not complaining– more science fiction for everybody!