I have had these lingering questions of people and their definitions of style by labels.  I often wonder why there is such an “obsession” and fascination of labeling a person, clothing, music, etc. I do understand that labeling is a much-needed tool in order to be descriptive.  I guess in my adult years I have thrown out all concepts of “scenes” and “rules” because my own tastes have changed and have been molded through the years.  Basically, it’s not high school (for me) any more.

Now, I can be judgmental and opinionated when it comes to fashion, but I like to believe I dress decent and have some knowledge on the subject.  I’d like to think I know my likes, my body, and my ability to take some fashion risks (which don’t always work out, I know I have some photographic proof that’s EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!).  But I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and see me!  I walk to my closet and I dress according to whatever the day calls for, I certainly don’t think, “Wow, I’m a Goth+Rockabilly+Victorian girl!”  It’s just plain silly to even conceptualize that statement and it’s exhausting!!!  I guess what I’m saying in these long statements is, dress and wear what you like!

So much emphasize on labels: Rockabilly, Goth, Cyber-Goth, Rivit, Noize, Raver, Psychobilly, Punk, Indie-Rocker, Hippie, Prep, Geek, Hipster, Greaser, etc, etc. makes my head hurt!  But all are valid statements to make when describing a person, am I wrong?  But why totally define yourself by the dress, music, or culture of a scene?

My best friend Melanie discovered I liked Rockabilly/Psychobilly music at our (now closed) local Goth bar, The Continental. We went to use the ladies rooms at the ground level of the bar and there was a band playing, the band was the former local band The Quakes (there are still some original members living in Buffalo, NY).  I stood by a pole in the back of the bar tapping my boot along with the music, Melanie came from the bathroom and said, “I didn’t know you like this sorta music.”  My secret was out!  I was a closet Rockabilly fan, ala Elvis!

I guess I “hid” my interest in this genre of music as I just really didn’t know anyone who was into the scene and since I was so steeped in the Goth scene….I was just embarrassed and didn’t even know where to start!  Which now when I look back years later, it’s just plain silly! (Hey, my dad was a REAL greaser in the 50’s….D.A. and all!) Why did I hide my interests?  I really don’t know, other than my guess of just being afraid to let go of sticking to the “status quo” of being a “goth”.  I was letting the fashion define me completely and not let me, define me!

Please, I’m not a preacher and I’m certainly not trying to get you to change yourself…it’s just food for thought.  Basically do whatever the hell you want, because my fiancé and I are still trying to figure out what “label” fits us both best.  So far we’ve just come up with Derek and Meagan as the best ones.  ;)

<3 Meagan Kyla

Auxiliary Magazine has begun!  But we are still in the scheaming stages….

For now we have a temporary website up with general information, our mission statement, and blogs from our editors.  We also have a myspace page.  And in December we will have our first issue available online!  (with tons of pretty photos and colors and much more content)  So be sure to check back often for new posts to our fashion and music blogs and in December for our first issue!  And we also we have some other little projects in the works we know you’ll want to stay informed on.

- Jennifer

I was recently asked to DJ IDM at an event, IDM has often been categorized as non-club music because it is more of an artistic expression then the standard 4-4 beats you find in clubs, but that is not going to stop me from accepting the mission. If my whole set ends up being drones and grinds and odd bass beats that will make dancers look like flailing idiots, well that is what it will have to be, I was asked to play IDM.

Taking time out of my busy workday to find out what I have in my collection I turned to my mp3 player and loaded all the tracks that are tagged under IDM and hit play. Then I started a database of all the tracks I have based on 3 basic criteria: Beat (ambient to strait 4-4), Darkness (children’s music to conjuring up demons) and Overall (bad to good). 600 minutes in, I am finding that IDM seems to become a major genera with many subgenera, and separating everything has been a daunting task, but it is worth it. I have a new appreciation for the genre and all its forms, from the dark eerie tracks all the way to the bleepy happy track. I am beginning to understand for what the musician / artist intended (or my interpretation anyways). This is reminding me of the time I truly fell in love with minimal techno, but that is a story for another time.

So what will I play for the masses is the burning question. I want to showcase the depth and variety that I have enjoyed since I started my little project a week ago, but there is no way I will fit it in to the 2 hour time slot. Some may suggest that I bring everything and play what feel right to play.  Unfortunately my brain doesn’t remember what tracks are which with 500+ to choose from (and that is just tracks from 07 to present). So the elimination process will begin next week, narrowing down to the strongest tracks and leaving home the weaker ones.

Will anyone really care if I don’t select the perfect tracks?

Probably not, but it is my personal mission to provide the best, most unique, most eye opening IDM I can find.

Hopefully my set will touch at least one soul…

Mike

“Fashion refers to styles of dress (but can also include cuisine, literature, art, architecture, and general comportment) that are popular in a culture at any given time. Such styles may change quickly, and ‘fashion’ in the more colloquial sense refers to the latest version of these styles. Inherent in the term is the idea that the mode will change more quickly than the culture as a whole.”

I like that fact that waaaaaay at the end of this “definition” the word culture is used.  Basically I’m here to break down all the boundaries, rules, terms, conditions, rational and thinking of EVERY fashion culture.  I am observant, fair, opinionated, open, curious and driven by clothing and style…… BUT the real reason I love it so much, are the people and bodies that wear it. (And by bodies I’m not a perv, well…… that’s for another blog)

I think my fascination with subcultural dress began when I was ten years old.  I went to Toronto with my mom, cousin, and aunt to see the Phantom of the Opera and my mom pointed out two twenty-somethings walking down Young Street.  These ladies were decked out to the ‘T’ in gothic victorian garb, right down to the mourning style parasols.  In that single moment the thought entered my mind, “I want to be pretty like them”….. but that alas, that will not happen until I get out of my awkward stages (wait, when are they supposed to end?)

Now,  I’m not going to lie and say I became this gleaming orb of fashion knowledge right out of the womb.  It took years and years… and a LOT of really, really, really, bad fashion choices and just plain looking ridiculous.  Let’s face it!  We are not all models, or fashionista’s with an over-flowing pocket book.  I gotta work with the resources I have and sometimes it produces less-than-perfect results.  But that’s what I want this blog to be about, being REAL.

Fashion should be fun and yes yes yes (please don’t hate me) there is more to life than clothing, BUT life is more interesting with it!

<3
Meagan Kyla