statue of equality

There's a story here. A couple of weeks ago during my daily intake of The Man Repeller, the Blog Lord announced a contest for Club Monaco. Being the poor girl I am, I obviously decided to enter. I was suppose to submit a photo taken by me that I thought was inspiring. I randomly submitted the above photo, which was an assignment from my online photography-joke-of-a-course I took over the summer. I viewed the other submissions then quickly forgot about the contest, as I thought I had submitted the wrong genre. Little did I know, when I happened to stumble upon the "Top 20" announcement on the Club Monaco facebook, my photograph would be in the top right corner. Who knew I was talented? Not me. I've seriously never done anything artistic that someone appreciated, so low and behold I was completely astonished and had a major freak out.

What I am trying to get at here is that I need your support and I need you to vote for me, because obviously I need to win and it is way too much work to take out the competition Drop Dead Gorgeous style via facebook. Instructions:

1. Click this link: I'm amazing and voting for Noe Connaît so she wins a new camera for this blog
2. Become bilingual by scrolling all the way down to the bottom of facebook and changing your language to français or English (UK)
3. Wasn't I right? Bilingual. You can totally read another language. It's definitely not because you have habitually memorized where everything is on facebook. This isn't a step.
4. Vote for "Statue of Equality" by Noe Connaît in the top right corner by clicking the heart.
5. Here's the good part- either keep pretending you're bilingual or change your facebook back into your native tongue, because I know that British English was bloody rough on you, ol' chap.
6. Repeat steps 1-5 everyday until the 26th of October. 

Merci.

Some serious words about the photo: I created these shapes out of construction paper, representing the Statue of Liberty, her torch, and her crown, shortly after the state of New York finally granted all of their citizens equal rights; hence Statue of Equality. 

And to be honest, directly after the trial finished, my lovely old roommate (Anaïs) and I went parading through the streets in search of a celebratory equality snack, so we started replacing every other word with the word equality. Examples: Equality Bagels, Equalitybucks, Equality in the Grass, Equalitybell- you get the equality picture. 

pumpkin and the great white shark

Photos by Kylie Monet

le tee-shirt- SeaWorld et la jupe- vintage

Meet my first official purchase in France- this lovely skirt. I'm obsessed. I love the buttons. I love that I know it is orange, but everyone tells me it is red. I love that it looks like one of those really expensive American Apparel skirts, but it was from a small vintage store in Lyon, was pas cher, and has more interesting details. You'll be hearing more about this store and others soon. Anyhow, when this beautiful day presented itself, longing to adorned with orange, I had to ask the skirt, "What should I wear with you, pumpkin?" The skirt answered, "You know, I'm pretty into Great White Sharks." So there you have it. Why not wear a tee-shirt with a beautiful skirt, especially one complete with a scary open-mouthed shark? And did you think the fishtail braid was accidental? I think not. Take notes, kids. Now on those days when your torso is feeling lazy, but your legs want to party- you can please both. You're welcome.

And now the grand finale:

Who's workin' it harder in Lyon? Slouched-ass Noe Connaît or Black on black on black on black?

revolutionary robespierre

It is Friday night (Saturday morning) and I just experienced that lovely, yet sad feeling of finishing a great book.

City of Darkness, City of Light

The French Revolution, a story told from 6 characters' vantage points, eventually intertwining their lives. For the purpose of this post details are not necessary, but definitely look into reading the book. Here are the basics of the French Revolution: The lower and middle classes rise up to defeat the nobility and monarchy. Their basic goals are to instill democracy, make their voices heard, and ensure a stable price for their one absolute necessity- bread. The revolution creates change eventually, yet fails to produce a secure government and essentially backlashes into the oblivion of Bonaparte.

Does this story sound familiar? It should.

History teaches us that change, and I mean serious change, can only occur through revolutionary action. Disrupting order, be it with good old fashioned storming of Bastilles or sit-ins for peace, continues to be the only way to accomplish anything. It astounds me that the basic tactics used during the French Revolution are still very much a part of how we air grievances, even if our organization methods differ. Social networking has transformed the art of protest into an efficient organizational machine while camera phones with instant upload capabilities now allow global audiences to instantaneously participate in the fight. So, with these new tools literally at our fingertips, why are we still behind our computers?

Because we're comfortable. I'm comfortable. Hell, I'm typing this lying in my bed while studying abroad in a foreign country. Why should I sacrifice my life fighting for something that probably won't work out anyway? The questions, the excuses. "There's too many causes I'm suppose to be fighting for, it's overwhelming." "There's too much wrong with the world." "I'll care tomorrow." "Nothing will ever change."

Well, I'm here to tell you that it will. Definitely not today and maybe not tomorrow, but not without copious amounts of effort and perseverance. We have the resources to create global solidarity like history has never witnessed, but we must gain the ambition and the hope.

apologies and the blue door

Oops.. I was too lazy to shower again? No problem, high pony tail Blake Lively braid.

How did Serena Williams' calves get on Noe Connaît?

I should probably retract earlier statements and take up modeling.

I mean really.. Serena? Williams or Van der Woodsen? You choose.

I'm just so blind without my glasses!

Photos of me taken by Kylie Monet

la robe- A Weekend in Paris Boutique, la camisole- la mère de americane Kylie, et des talons- Guess

I know. One. post. per. day. Well, after 2 days I found that goal to be tough feat, so I shifted my perspective and internally vowed to blog every other day. That was going splendid until Saturday- when IT came, the disease that stole all of my blogging energy and connaître. I was left just Noe, an immobile, yet slightly slimmer corpse with a blank mind and upset stomach. After 5 days, I am almost back to my regular knowing self and I couldn't bear to let the blog sit in oblivion for an entire week. I am sorry to those who have worn brooches in their hair for the past 6 days and those who actually took my one post a day promise seriously. Take a shower and seek help.

So, the clothes. Do I have a small obsession with layering these awkward length camisoles over everything I wear? Yes, of course. Also, I have an obsession with the blue door pictured above. I will find that door again and take more photos against it (hopefully next time a creepy French construction worker won't need to use or just won't feel the need to laugh aloud at me and Kylie Monet again). The blue is the perfect jewel tone to go with my fall color scheme and match my fashion turban.

À bientôt!