4th of July Night Ride Home

Amidst the ugliness, here is a moment of beauty...

Once in a while
In a big blue moon
There comes a night like this
Like some surrealist
Invented this Fourth of July
Night ride home

Hula girls
And caterpillar tractors in the sand
The Ukulele man
The fireworks
This Fourth of July
Night ride home

I love the man beside me
We love the open road
No phones 'til Friday
Far from the overkill
Far from the overload

Back at the bar
The band tears down
But out here in the headlight beams
The silver powerlines
Gleam
On this Fourth of July
Night ride home

Round the curve
And a big dark horse
Red tail lights on his hide
Is keeping right alongside
Rev for stride
4th of July
Night ride home

I love the man beside me
We love the open road
No phones till Friday
Far from the undertow
Far from the overload

Once in a while
In a big blue moon
There comes a night like this
Like some surrealist
Invented this Fourth of July
Night ride home
Night ride home
Night ride home
On a night ride home
On a night ride home
Night ride home

Thank you, Joni.

https://jonimitchell.com/

July 4th, 2025

On this anniversary of our country's independence, we find ourselves in a frightening situation. Our democracy has been hijacked--temporarily--by an administration that has established itself as an authoritarian regime. It aspires to a kind of behavior against which this country has fought, in many wars and in many places. We have all seen the intended chaos, the attacks on the United States Constitution, the abductions of thousands who have committed no crime, the arrogant disregard for laws, the petty scheming and plotting and assaults to silence by any means anyone who tries to maintain a sense of lawfulness and humanity, and the deliberate cruelty inflicted on non-citizens and citizens alike which will result in actual death. The U.S. Flag Code says an inverted flag should only be used "as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property," and we are truly in that very distress with lives on the line. But I say we are hijacked temporarily because I believe we have been a Democracy for far too long for us to turn into some third-world country whose government has always been shaky, suffering coup after coup. It is going to be harder than the current administration thinks.

So it is at this time in particular that we need to celebrate our Independence Day, our country, and the concept of actual, real Democracy. When nearly two and a half centuries ago, a band of patriots gathered in Philadelphia to declare that "all men are created equal," they intended for this country to be different form the others, to be better, to be always striving toward a more perfect union. It is why they made the Constitution a living document, able to be revised, changed, improved upon, thus improving the lives of everyone living in these United States. It is our true purpose, our original ideal to continually improve the quality of life for Americans--all Americans--no matter their race, sex, age, physical ability, religion, and sexual or gender identity. And July 4th is a celebration of that, a Celebration of Possibility, a celebration of the idea that we can continually improve upon our morals, our laws, our procedures, our attitudes. We continually strive toward those possibilities which include instead of exclude, which right what has been wrong, which bring more people into our national fabric, elevating and enriching life in this country. That is why it is particularly distressing and brings a very specific anguish to see these ideals, this leap toward possibilities of greatness that is part of our Constitution and of Democracy itself eroded, attacked, and mocked by the current government, conservatives, and the right wing and more shockingly, by a large section of our own fellow citizens who support the viciousness and hatred, demonstrating that only cruelty with a perverse need to punish and not the health and future of the United States and the well-being of its citizens is their point.

Today I am choosing to celebrate the possibilities of change, of improvement, of an ever-strengthening yearning toward a more perfect union, and the idea that we can protect what this country stands for. Please vote to honor these ideals in the 2026 mid-term elections--we must have a President and not a King or despot--and to ensure that we live up to the promise of making life for all citizens--ALL CITIZENS--better. We haven't yet and we need to, finally, fulfill that promise. And taking back at least one of the branches of government will help us in reclaiming our country, our Democracy, and our standing in the world. I love my country, I was born here, it is my home, and I have no intention of leaving or handing it over to the current administration and its supporters who want to turn it into an authoritarian fascist hell.

Here is the sonnet "The New Colossus" by poet Emma Lazarus which serves as the inscription at the base of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, our valuable ally. The inscription affirms the ideal of inclusiveness and the United States as a beacon of hope, comfort, and stability for anyone who seeks it.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Wait For 2026 When We The People Have The Last Word

BEAUTY: Soft Sculpture--Elodie Blanchard

Textile artist Elodie Blanchard creates fantastical trees that look like they come from a Dr. Seuss story for her series Forest. Her artist statement describes her process:

"Elodie Blanchard is a French-American artist and designer based in Brooklyn, whose textile-based practice transforms discarded materials into sculptures, wall hangings, vessels, and immersive installations. Working primarily with used clothing and textile remnants, she reclaims these forgotten or overlooked materials through layering, stitching, and embroidery.

Blanchard’s work is both intuitive and intentional, balancing technical experimentation with emotional resonance. Her process often begins with accumulation and sorting—collecting fabric like a painter builds a palette—before deconstructing and reassembling it in unexpected ways. Through repetition, fabric manipulation, and exploration, she constructs new forms that embody resilience, imperfection, and playful reinvention."

https://www.elodieblanchard.com/

BEAUTY: Ceramic Sculpture--Louise Fulton

I am entranced by the incredible ceramic faces by Australian artist Louise Fulton. The variety of glazes, colors, textures, and shapes she employs makes each face so unique.

You can purchase one of her creations at her site!
https://louisefultonstudio.com/

"Here Come July" by Scritti Politti 2025

Yep, here comes July...I'm gonna watch the worlds crash, burn, collide...I think we all will. Hang on.

The incredible Green Gartside and Scritti Politti (previously here): some of the smartest pop music ever recorded.

Here come July
The world is there for me to share
Here come July
It sort of feels so hyper-real

Here come July
To test you all before the fall
Here come July
The end of school, the death of cool

Here come July now
And everybody's burning
My summer's high now
The world has never been so happy in its heart of hearts

Here come July
To sort the men from boys again
Here come July
To melt away the need to say

Here come July now
The heat'll hurt your feelings
It's beautified now
The sun will scorch the pavements of all piety and sin

It doesn't mean nothing, it doesn't mean sh*t
How can I be a part of it?
It doesn't mean nothing, it doesn't mean spit
How can I be a part of it?

It doesn't mean nothing
Some things never do to me

I'll mean the world to you
Maybe I could double all the negatives we know

Here come July
I love it makes it hard to take
So why d'you lie?
To me about the truth will out

Here come July now
And I can't hear your lipgloss
No case to try now
The sun will be on subterfuge, iniquity and you

It doesn't mean nothing, it doesn't mean sh*t
How can I be a part of it?
It doesn't mean nothing, it doesn't mean spit
How can I be a part of it?

Here come July now
Here it comes (woah)
Here we come
I'm gonna crash, gonna burn, gonna watch as the worlds collide
I'm gonna crash, gonna burn, gonna watch as the worlds collide

(It doesn't mean nothing)
Here come July now (it doesn't mean nothing)
Here come July now.

http://www.scritti.net/
https://www.facebook.com/scrittinet

BEAUTY: Clothing--Misc. Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week just ended and here are some miscellaneous details from the Spring Summer '26 collections that caught my eye:

Kévin Nompeix and Florentin Glémarec of Egonlab paid tribute to Glémarec’s late grandfather, René, who passed away last November aged 90. He had been a great early supporter of Egonlab, appearing in the brand's creations at every outing. Glémarec’s grandfather and family are from Breton so the duo used motifs of that region, including lace, to pay homage.

3.Paradis, Emeric Tchatchoua's brand, showed a collection inspired by the classic children's book (for grown-ups too!), "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Little One showed up on a sweater and a camp shirt, but references to other parts of the book surfaced: the plane flown by the pilot, the doodle of a snake swallowing an elephant, the flock of wild birds that carried the Little Prince from his home planet, and more abstractly, pieces in gloriously saturated colors of a desert sunset as well as desert camouflage (models walked a runway heaped with white sand!). The idea of travelling made Tchatchoua reflect on the idea that time seems to slow when one is on an adventure and this manifested in a pattern of analog watches...there was even a wild moment of a trench coat adorned with actual watches!

For the new Issey Miyake branch IM Men (the Issey Miyake brand decided to retire their Homme Plissé runway show from the Paris schedule--although the line still continues to be produced--and replace it with the new IM Men), designers Sen Kawahara, Yuki Itakura and Nobutaka Kobayashi looked to the 60s and 70s pottery pieces of celebrated ceramicist Shoji Kamoda for pattern and shape. The opening of the show is quite dramatic. Take a look.

Wooyoungmi showed a fun Mary Jane sandal with sheer socks and garters...

https://egonlab.com/
https://www.3paradis.com/
https://us.isseymiyake.com/
https://en.wooyoungmi.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Jacquemus

To close Paris Fashion Week, Simon Porte Jacquemus brought his brand to the Orangerie at the Palace of Versailles for his SS '26 collection. Called "Le Paysan" or "The Peasant" in English, the lyrical yet powerfully simple collection was inspired by his birthplace and family roots in Provence in the south of France. He comes from a long line of farmers and growers so his moodboard was covered with pictures of people tending fields or selling their green produce at roadside stands--but one sweet picture was of his grandmother dressed all in black with three large baskets of her harvest.

Jacquemus says that his family were always very supportive of his dream to be a fashion designer even if it meant leaving the land he was born on--and into--to achieve that dream. Fittingly the show opened with a little boy, an obvious stand-in for his own child self, opening a massive door to let the models into the show space. Knowing all this makes the sentiment of the show quite touching. The garments themselves possess an unadorned dignity, and I love that what seems like a skirt is actually a multi-pleated apron. Jackets are divested of lapels, and classic espadrilles lace up the leg like they do in the south of France. But it was the accessories that tied the narrative together: farm boxes full of cherries, strawberries, and tomatoes, all crafted from leather; a string of garlic hanging from a waist, also in leather; and a clutch made to look like a large leek. It is quite moving to see a heartfelt, authentic tribute like this to family, history, and the land.

https://www.jacquemus.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--LGN Louis Gabriel Nouchi

Louis Gabriel Nouchi, founder of his eponymous brand, relies on books and their narratives to provide inspiration for his collections and this SS '26 lookbook released during Paris Fashion Week was based on the Philip K. Dick short story "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?" which was in turn made into the classic 1982 Ridley Scott film "Blade Runner." I am not sure how much the book influenced Nouchi because these garments seem to visually borrow from the film as well. Suiting has certainly made a triumphant return to the fashion world (seen this season!), a move I applaud; enough with insipid "athleisure" wear. And here Nouchi presents some amazing looks cut in 1940s-esque silhouettes possibly via the retro-future costumes from "Blade Runner" (I am thinking of Rachel's shoulder pads in her first appearance). And I think the idea of a "replicant" is at play here as well.

I really like the limited color palette he employs here: black, tan, brown, with a bit of white. And the additional skirt elements are fantastic.

https://www.louisgabrielnouchi.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing--John Alexander Skelton

I have been a fan of John Alexander Skelton for many seasons now. Regular readers know I love clothing that has an historical sense, which can manifest in the silhouette, the patterns and cuts, and of course in choices of color and materials. It is why I love the work of Westwood, Yamamoto, Anne Demeulemeester when she was head of her own house, the swashbuckling collections of Galliano, even Armani in his refined luxury with hints of the past. But the work of John Alexander Skelton is extraordinary. Skelton (previously here--please do take a look at some incredible past collections), who was awarded the Sarabande scholarship granted by the Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation and graduated from Central Saint Martin’s with an M.A. in fashion men’s wear in 2016, references Dickensian/19th-century/Victorian/Edwardian menswear such as frock coats and high-waisted trousers. Because of my past New Romantic heart (here and here), I am of course wild for the Romantic and historical references in his collections, and a signature detail of his is the plethora of buttons on shirts, waistcoats, and jackets. Skelton says he sees buttons as the simplest form of decoration, as a kind of jewelry, so he applies them liberally to pieces. I feel his love and respect for antique English clothing just like Westwood.

Skelton bounces back and forth between live shows and lookbooks, and for his Spring Summer '26 collection, he gave us a fun lookbook photographed entirely in in Ireland’s County Mayo which inspired the collection. He has family roots in the area and feels a kinship. So much so that he and his photographer William Waterworth simply plucked locals from the area to model the garments. The results are atmospheric, picturesque, and so wonderfully Skelton.

https://www.johnalexanderskelton.com/