In 1984 cable came to Somerset, New Jersey. life as I knew it was about to change. Up until MTV appeared, I had led a sheltered life at a small religious private school. My older siblings didn’t have the same musical taste as I did and I was left with just the music approved by my schools rigorous views of hellfire and damnation. By my 16th birthday, I had seen Amy Grant in concert 3 times. Seriously. 
I rushed home to catch an hour of newish music and try desperately to grasp some cool points. I dropped my trapper keeper and le sports sac in front of the family room tv and hunkered down. Oh, crap. MTV was showing creaky old crap from the vintage vault. Whatever. I rolled my eyes and thought about shaker knit sweaters and Matthew Broderick for a few minutes. Then it happened. I saw him. He was magnificent and a little scary. He was singing right to me. From the past. It was an old concert clip of Bowie singing ‘Changes’.
I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where’s your shame
You’ve left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can’t trace time
Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I’m going through…..
Ok, it didn’t hurt that I misunderstood the lyrics as ‘turn and face the strange‘ and felt like he was giving me license to not only make art, but in my small way..BE ART! Not fitting in to my tiny surroundings no longer seemed like such a bad thing. It seemed like the goal. Bowie was a gateway drug. I hopped from him to Marc Bolan, to Iggy to Warhol, to the New York Dolls, to Lou Reed- my favorite singer/songwriter of all. 
Now I have to admit after al of this that glam rock is not a style that I lean toward, what I lean toward is the stylishness of it all. The sublime crazy- the insane but perfect tailoring and the inability to be pigeonholed with one look. Bowie has swaggered thru so many periods and still been BOWIE. For me the message is, enjoy trends, but be you above all and don’t apologize for the you that you were picked to be. It’s all beyond some, but they don’t matter anyway.
Thank you Tempest for giving us all an opportunity to reflect on some amazing music and some serious style.
I chose to homage ‘The Man Who Sold the World’. The husband doesn’t know its also a little tribute to his love of science fiction- he loves Robert Heinlein. I also loved that its release was very close to my own. 1971. The American album cover featured a generic cartoon- instead of David in what might very well have been one of Angie’s frocks. I’m alot less edgy in this one than he was! Burda 7127 just felt right for this. European and stylish. 
The little sleeve details sold me on this- it elevates the basic shape a bit. 
On a side note, I love this dress- my Mother referred to this dress as ‘the brown one that you aren’t going to like’ while I was making it. But hey, that just made it perfect for this salute to my angst, right? Nobody understands me! I’m a rebel! Well, a ‘Rebel, Rebel’, if you will……envy my savage footwear!
One more after we let down the puppy gate: 
photo credits: google images, pinterest, meadhawg. All images remain the property of their original source.
Wheeee! Love your tribute to Bowie and your beautiful Brown Dress That You Are Not Going To Like. I capitlized it as a tribute to your mother :). Nice photo shoot on the settee, as well, although it certainly is made at least 50% better with the addition of canines. I’m not as familiar with this Bowie album as I am of some of the others, so will have to look into it, and, I’m sure enjoy some great music and fabulous design and style.
I am also a Lou Reed fan. Have been a fan of Velvet Underground for 3405983059824 years now and unlikely to change any time soon. And a huge Andy Warhol fan as well. Happy to see them mentioned. 🙂
Wear your Brown One with pride, my dear! And celebrate your own style in, well, style!!
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Another VU fan! Im sticking with you!
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🙂 Let’s play some now! Wear your dress.
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Tweeted you a good one.
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Loved it!
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Yay! Me too, I love VU and Bowie.. brilliant stuff.
I do, usually play it all regularly… but I am slightly obsessed with Talking Heads at the moment. So that’s what this bird is playing right now.
Anyways, the dress. I love.. Very nice. Have you been wearing it a lot no do dramatically?!
Bundana x
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Its really more flattering when Im not reclined- I really recommend it!
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Talking Heads take me right back to high school, and later, college. Funny about the Bowie lyric…until today I thought he was singing “strange changes,” as well. Hmmm.
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I heard what I wanted to hear!
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I wish I could see the dress better because the pattern looks interesting and the fabric/color look so rich!
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My PR review will have a better dress view tomorrow. It was getting dark!
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What a cool homage! Love the dress and really loving those sleeves.
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The sleeves totally sold the pattern for me!
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Love this. Love the story behind it. Think you should do an Amy Grant tribute next…
So, shall I meet you in London for the Bowie exhibit at the V&A??
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Well, Amy did bust out a cheetah tux jacket for an album….NO!!!
Id love to see that exhibit! No fair that my closest museum focuses on cotton ginning?!
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Oh, man. I love me some Bowie. The dress is lovely! Wear it with pride, you rebel, you.
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I sure will!
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Bowie is godlike. I heard something very very scary this week. Do you want to hear it? Of course you do. Here it comes. Bowie is only ten years younger than the new pope. Isn’t that awful?
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Look at it this way, he’s still alive!!
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He can’t die…..can he?
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That blows the mind!
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My apologies. I am a horrible human being. I forgot to flatter you and tell you how wonderful your new dress looks on you. Will you please forgive me?
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Oh perish the thought-I love the dialogue opened up by a post- it feels more conversational!
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You with the pups:), now that’s a shot that even Bowie himself would love. Great post.
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As usual, Bruderlein looks joyful and Liesl looks confused.
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I like your dress, I like your taste in music, and it appears we have a similar upbringing. Amy Grant, Sandi Patty, Second Chapter of Acts. These days, I shudder to think of it.
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Oh, mercy! Petra, Michael W Smith- its all coming back to me!!
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That dress looks awesome, love it! I grew up hearing Amy Grant at home too 😉 I turn to Queen and the Rolling Stones to feel rebellious. Aww, to be an adult and pick my own music 🙂
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I temember my friend Robert had a Rolling Stones cassette confiscated, of course it was Harlem Shuffle, so maybe it was for the best!
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What a great flashback! The 70s was such a great time in my life. Ah to be a teenager in the 70s – all satin and platforms (and that was the boys!!). Love the dress. I think brown is such a sophisticated colour – but maybe that is just me.
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I was just a little late- but I picked up quickly!
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This be fierce! And the photobomb from puppy adds a certain something something…
I discovered the radness of Bowie only a few years back and so many kinds of awesome. In fact, my original derby name was Ziggy Starpunch but I just didn’t feel I was rad enough to pull it off.
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Oh, that is fabulous!
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How glam you are in that dress and the setting is perfect too…cards splayed out, doggies roaming and a look of “I just don’t care” on your face…too chic my dear!
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In future I will not be shot from below- not my best angle!!
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This is awesome. Period.
So excited that we are going to see his exhibit at the V &A while we are in London.
I’ve loved him since they played Blue Jean on constant repeat on MuchMusic (Canada’s version of MTV) in the 80s.
Love your offering to the challenge. Let’s Dance.
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Ooh!!! I remember rushing home to see them premiere that video! Screaming Lord Byron!
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Have you ever seen the 20 minute full film that accompanied the video..I don’t think they ever released it at the time (or at least they didn’t in the UK), but I found it on Youtube the other day. Probably some of the worst acting Bowie has ever done and yet it’s awesome in its badness: http://youtu.be/DXvAaNcXNzI
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Oh, it was painful- I remember seeing just that first time
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Terrific post in homage to DB, my earliest memories of him were the posters in my brothers’ rooms – I have four older brothers (I’m the only girl and youngest) so to me, he was a guys pop star -. I liked Tina Charles – Ohh…I love to love…. Anyway, I thought him a bit outre then along came The Thin White Duke phase and it was love at first sight! The clothes, the moves, the tunes and gorgeous! I still think Sound and Vision is the best pop intro EVER!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane….
Now for that dress, I utterly love it; the fabric, the design and you in it; reminds me of an Ossie Clark – Celia Britwell, which may well be what (who) Bowie is wearing on the album cover, they were a massive collaboration in the 70’s.
I’m ordering that pattern btw!
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Oh those little front tucks will be fab on you- I looked like a knocked- up gator, so I improved with ruching….
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I agree – definitely an homage to Ossie and Celia.
Is it me or are you channelling a Bond villainess in the last photo…”I expect you to die, Mr Bond”!?
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check it out guys – http://www.celiabirtwell.com/ I think I need to get me a couch if I’m going to make this baby!
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Oooh!!
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Yes! This dress showcases your assets perfectly! Rawr!! I think you need one in every color. Seriously.
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Its oddly flattering- sorry Ma, I do like it!
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Honestly, I never got past “cable came to Somerset, NJ” seriously you grew up in Somerset?! That’s where I live now and you wouldn’t recognize the place. It’s changed so much in the last 20 years! Okay, I cant wait to see pictures of you standing up in the dress!
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Really? How funny- I moved to SC in ’94, you cant remove Jersey from a gal! I still miss the malls!
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Oh you pretty thing, don’t you know you make your mamma….quite proud actually 😉
It cracks me up that your Mum likes the dress. So misunderstood 🙂 love the richness of this fabric and the detailing in the sleeve. And the photoshoot with and without puppies. The dress Bowie’s wearing on the cover is a favourite of mine. It was made by a British designer Michael Fish who also made a fab white peplum short dress Jagger wore in concert over trousers. I like Bowie’s better. He went for it, wavy hair and all.
Thank you so much for taking part in the Bowie Sew Along and for making it your own! Together we can be ourselves and be art 🙂
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Tempest, you brought such great memories and inspiration to me- thank you so much for your work and energy!!!
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I love Lou Reed. I have my uncle’s records from when he was a teenager and he had a bunch of Lou Reed ones which I listen to a lot. Your brown dress looks great. I love the sleeve detail.
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Im not so sure about his latest work with Metallica, but, I love the rest!
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What a great dress…and the material is fabulous too, the brown sets the colours of the flowers off wonderfully
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It’s a fabricmart piece and I loved the flowers- but Ma thinks I wear too much brown- I think it’s a lovely fabric, thank you!
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Love your dress. Love Dave too! x
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Thank you, Ma’am!
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Great dress, and I applaud your homage to David. But those cute little diamond dogs are the show stealer.
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I just couldn’t leave out my backup singers!
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These more fitted makes that have been popping up lately really really suit you. Clearly you need to stop listening to Ma & listen to us 🙂 I suspect your mother when to the same School of Straight Talk as my mum “why on earth did you let the hairdresser do that to your hair Lizzy? I really don’t like it like that at all”. Real confidence builders!!! LOL
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I have a special filter for my Mother- I know what she means, but sometiems the delivery is slightly off- she can be very funny. I showed her the fabric and pattern and she asked if my husband had seen it, like I needed someone to talk me out of it. She’s funny.
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That’s hilarious.
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So lovely! Even if my mom doesn’t see or comment on what I’m making or wearing, I can still hear her (imaginary) opinions. I try not to be so much influenced by them, but it’s hard.
My isolation was more profound than yours: my family lived in a spot that cable didn’t/couldn’t reach until I was off to college! I’m still not sure I’ve caught up on that era. What a fabulous photo of Bowie, though.
Can’t wait to see a full-length shot of the dress on PR. Although you look very glamorous settled there on the settee.
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I really need to do a full length shot- I swear it really is more flattering than my Rubenesque lounge act!
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That’s a beautiful dress on you and I love the homage to Bowie.
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and its a Burda that didn’t make me cry!!
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What a great post! Love the dress too!
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Thank you! I really enjoyed this one.
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I saw Lou Reed in concert in Vancouver 1972. (Also TRex stop drooling Anne) It was almost as amazing as your post! Really like the brown dress on you, and love the aloofness of the pose. Until the spiders from Mars stormed in…..hahahaha Thanks for the most entertaining entry.
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I will forever think of you as the Planet Queen!!!
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great story, I saw so many great bands here in the SF bay area, a couple of highlights are Queen and Led Zeppelin (not at the same show) A big teenage disappoint was that my parents put their foot down and would NOT permit me to go with my boyfriend to see Lou Reed at the Fillmore in San Francisco. terrible tragedy for my teenage self !
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No Lou? That is upsetting! My parents wouldnt let me see Grease in the theatre- too suggestive, we all have our scars!
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That dress looks fabulous on you! Love the color, too…even if it IS ‘brown’…I don’t see you hating it 🙂 Fun look back at one of music’s real pioneers – David Bowie (LOVED ‘Changes’!) Love Amy Grant also 🙂
Rock & rebel on!
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Why thank you- its quite comfy, too!
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Fashion! Turn to the left
Fashion! Turn to the right
Oooh, fashion!
We are the goon squad
And we’re coming to town
Beep-beep
Beep-beep
Get outa the way ’cause Anne’s in a spectacular dress that she kept secret from us and looks excellent in.
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Whoohoo! I love it!
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Thank God, David Bowie spoke to you to BE ART! I love your posts and your way of looking at the world. So refreshing and fun!
Have a beautiful Sunday!
Beth
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Oh you are too kind,Beth!
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It looks fabulous, and very glam, particularly in your couch shot. I am sort of glad you didn’t go for a homage sewing project of the onsie in the earlier photo though, I think that would be a tricky look to translate off the stage.
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The knit onsie did seem a bit chaffey!
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I love that fabric. I think I’m beginning a brown phase.
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A brown phase will be monastically lovely on you!
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Oh, I loooove your dress. The print, the length, everything is just such a flattering whole. I’m so coveting that pattern right now…
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I’m thinking the 2nd version would be fun, too!
+
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Give me stylish rebellion sewing anytime. That sort of rebellion sewing stirs me to sew with complete focus.
This style is beautiful and the sleeve and waist detailing would have had me at ‘hello’. Cool print too.
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Burdastyle has some really fun patterns in the stores and I don’t have to trace and wrestle!
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Oh, this looks great on you! I love it! And I love your story, too! I had a very similar upbringing… although MTV was also evil! I’m a huge fan of the glam, and I listen to T. Rex’s “Electric Warrior” almost every night that I’m home alone sewing! 🙂
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Luckilly my parents had already raised 2 and didn’t sweat the small stuff much- it was the school that was so vigilant about my listening to devil music! I love the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack- have you heard it?
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Ooooh yes, I went through a Velvet Goldmine obsession in my late teens… teeheehee…
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Heehee!
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Love it!
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OH! I do LOVE this- not only the great dress but the vision of you artfully sprawled on your sofa… so stylish! So glamorous! You have done Bowie proud! ~Laurie
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I was getting really tired of the dogs barking and the flash refusing to work- there is some hostility in that posing!
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Lovely lovely dress and what does Mother know – I really really like the colours and the print and the pattern and the style and and and. Tis all good, frankly. Very good.
PS I too love the glam of Bowie. Rock on the 70s (mostly!)
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GREAT dress Anne, and even more awesome story. Hopefully this doesn’t make me sound too stalkerish 🙂 but I love getting glimpses into peoples’ “past lives.” Love the puppy pics too, as always!
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Until you pointed out the sleeve detail I missed it but you’re right, that is special! Really love your photoshoot, including the dogs : )
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What a great tale, thanks for sharing, it’s lovely to learn about the person behind the person, if that makes sense. Fantastic dress too, love it!
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Are you kidding! I want to kiss this entire post! Your dress is really lovely and your homage to Bowie is spot-on. I’m glad you were saved from an unrealized life populated by Amy Grant and Jim Brickman.
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Your dress looks amazing on you. David couldn’t pull it off like you do!
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Cute dress, very flattering and love your poses 🙂 great blog post.
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I seriously loved this!! It’s great when you get so inspired by music and fashion and art. Although I’m jealous because we couldn’t get cable until 1988 so I feel like I missed so much…. Ooo aaa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fah fah fah fah fashion
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