Happy September Equinox/Fall Solstice! I’m sad to see summer go — while I could do without the 100+ temperatures, I already miss having daylight last until 8 pm. That said, I’m so excited for fall! Hot apple cider! Pumpkin baked goods! Halloween viewings (that’s right, viewings) of Hocus Pocus! Thanksgiving feasts! Crisp autumn air! There’s a lot to look forward to. For one last look at summer (well, until we get that one week of weirdly warm weather in mid-October), here are a few snapshots I took of a gorgeous Cape Cod sunset during the 4th of July holiday. Have a great weekend!

Abbey Lee Kershaw looks so King Arthur/Magic: The Gathering (in a good way!) in this moody, otherworldly editorial from the September issue of Numéro. Sebastian Kim captures her in dramatic looks styled by Charles Varenne.

{via Fashion Gone Rogue}

I’ve been meaning to post about this documentary for a while now — I watched it earlier this year and was blown away. The Great Happiness Space: Tales of an Osaka Love Thief, directed by Jake Clenell, is a heartbreaking exploration of the emotionally complex world of Japanese host clubs. Host clubs are sort of a modern reincarnation of the geisha tradition, with reversed gender roles. Women with cash to spare go to the clubs, flip through books of the different hosts (priced according to demand), and pick the one they like best. The host then provides the “boyfriend experience,” flirting, giving advice, and making each woman feel special — even though she might be competing with several other women for his attention.

The many levels of contradiction and the suspension of disbelief required on the part of the clients are what make this relationship so compelling. Once a woman picks a host, she can never be “with” another host at the same club. She does everything she can — spending more money on a private room, buying more and more expensive bottles of champagne — to get the host to pay more attention to her, with the hopes of eventually becoming his real girlfriend. The hosts do their best to string the women along and keep them spending.

In an unexpected twist, the majority of clients are prostitutes. Their profession is seen as shameful and doesn’t allow for real relationships and emotional intimacy. They are accepted by the hosts, partly because they are some of the few women with the money to pay for the hosts’ expensive services (they can spend up to $10,000 in one night), and partly, I think, because they occupy similar roles. The hosts, meanwhile, have to come to terms with the fact that these women are essentially prostituting themselves so that they can continue spending time with them.

One of the girls says, “I sell my body to customers. I think really hard about how to spend the money. And I think I really want to smile…And if I quit, I can’t come to [the host club].”

The host club gives the illusion of a glamorous, wealthy world, but in fact all the participants live on the fringes of society; hosts are very looked down on in Japan. And although it seems like a constant party at the club, the hosts are actually doing real damage to themselves, each drinking up to ten bottles of champagne per night in order to make more money from the overhead on the alcohol.

It’s a really fascinating and poignant documentary, a reflection on what people want from love and how far they will go to preserve the illusion of love. I also really appreciated that, even though the subject matter could be seen as salacious, the documentary takes a candid but nonjudgmental and non-sensationalized approach. For more information, check out the movie website and the screencaps below. UPDATE: Apparently you can watch the whole movie online here.

{via Fashion Gone Rogue}

These Sugar Information Inc. ads from the 60s are amazing. At that time, artificial sweeteners were all the rage — they were touted as less fattening alternatives to sugar. In response, American sugar manufacturers put out ads promoting the benefits of good old-fashioned sugar: higher energy, smaller appetite, and, uh, “sense of satisfaction and well-being.” The ads are based on thorough scientific inquiry: “If sugar is so fattening, how come so many kids are thin?” Good question. In conclusion, I’m pretty sure these ads are accurate. Go forth and get sugar high!

{via Vintage Ads and Boing Boing}

I’m simultaneously dreading the end of summer and getting really excited for the fall. Not mutually exclusive! I get a bit emotional at the beginning of September, since I’m still wired to have those first day of school jitters and it’s weird to not be preparing for a new school year. Anyway, with all my nostalgia bubbling up and fall fast approaching, I’m really feeling Jen Corace’s lovely paintings and illustrations right now. They feel quite autumnal, with their earthy colors and forrest-y flora and fauna, no? I love the sweetness and whimsy mixed with dark humor and a sense of sadness.

{all images via JenCorace.com}

Here’s another one of my favorite September fashion editorials, from the September 2001 issue of Vogue Italia. Fittingly titled “Teatro,” the editorial features Amber Valletta in dramatic photographs by Steven Meisel. While the “widescreen” framing could be gimmicky, I think it really works here, creating a sweeping, epic feeling. Love the romance and grandeur of it all.

{scans via The Fashion Spot}

I love libraries. I have great memories of reading my way through the Middle School library’s fantasy section, meeting for study groups in various college libraries, getting/giving book recommendations at my local library, and giddily taking in the amazing architecture of several Paris libraries (I still haven’t visited the New York Public Library, though. It’s on my to do list!). So, I was delighted when I read about a wonderful literary/library mystery in progress in Edinburgh. An anonymous artist has been leaving paper sculptures at arts institutions around the city. The first one (pictured above) appeared at the Scottish Poetry Library with a note: “We know that a library is so much more than a building full of books…a book is so much more than pages full of words…This is for you in support of libraries, books, words, ideas…”

There are eight sculptures in all now, including two that showed up a few weeks ago at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Besides the fun of the mystery and the enchanting, delicate beauty of the sculptures, I love that these works show support for libraries. When funding is tight, libraries (and other cultural/arts organizations) are often the first on the cutting block, so it’s important to recognize and celebrate how essential and awesome they are. Read about the sculptures and the mystery in more detail here.

At the Scottish Storytelling Centre:

At Filmhouse, home to the Edinburgh International Film Festival:

At the Edinburgh International Book Festival:

At the National Library of Scotland (l) and the Edinburgh International Book Festival (r):

{via Neil Gaiman’s Blog, via Central Station Blog}
{photos via chrisdonia on Flickr}

It’s September! Everyone go dance around to this video for a bit, and then go ogle Jordan Catalano. Congratulations, you’ve now completed my annual Welcome to September ritual. This year, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite fashion editorials published in September issues. First up: this editorial featuring Natalia Vodianova in the September 2006 issue of W. Photographed by Craig Mcdean and styled by Alex White, it’s pretty much perfection. I love the bubblegum color scheme, the bold shapes of the slides and balloons, the wistful feeling of the empty spaces, and the anime-influenced looks. Looking at these photos makes me want to go shoe shopping, throw a rave, find an abandoned park to hang out in, and read some manga. Oh, and paint my nails.