“Such excess of passion is quite out of fashion”
October 28, 2011 11:02 AM   Subscribe

 
Tavi, of course. Her awesomeness makes me want to cry.
posted by sweetkid at 11:06 AM on October 28, 2011


Sexy Edward Gorey?
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:07 AM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


every time I favorite something it turns out to have 'The Whelk' written under it.
posted by Lou Stuells at 11:15 AM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


Dead Sexy Bunny, Dead Sexy.
posted by The Whelk at 11:18 AM on October 28, 2011 [3 favorites]


oh god


i am so disappointed that they didnt go into gorey's fucking dementatious jewelry collection. like his repurposed brass weights as rings, or his shocking-for-the-time pierced ear(s?) or wtvr.
posted by beefetish at 11:20 AM on October 28, 2011


also fuck yeah edward gorey is the goddamn sexual dynamo of tihs or any other century
posted by beefetish at 11:20 AM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]




Man, Edward Gorey is bringing the Sexy Dumbledore look back
posted by dismas at 11:26 AM on October 28, 2011




The Curious Sofa blew my mind when I happened upon it in a Tower Records one time.
posted by DU at 11:32 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


Did he write any children's books? He may be the author I keep trying to find of these weird books with illustrations just like his that I remember as a kid.
posted by xorry at 11:33 AM on October 28, 2011


From munchingzombie's link:

"But it's not pornographic in the standard sense. It's all in the style."

DEAR ASKME WHERE DO I GET THIS TATTOOED ON ME
posted by griphus at 11:37 AM on October 28, 2011 [4 favorites]


the whelk lets be friends now
posted by beefetish at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2011


so many cats
posted by exogenous at 11:40 AM on October 28, 2011


xorry: it's kind of....unclear whether his books were meant for kids. He did illustrate a version of T. S. Elliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and there are those who consider his Gashlycrumb Tinies to be a kid's book.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2011


Wow, I totally have the coat to do this...the coats plural, actually. But no Halloween parties to go to, woe.
posted by maryr at 11:45 AM on October 28, 2011


He cowrote two Fletcher & Zenobia books, but, oddly, did not illustrate them.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 11:46 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


Gorey himself collected 21 over the course of his life and liked to wear them with Converse sneakers

According to Alexander Theroux, Gorey preferred Keds (like all right thinking people).
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 11:46 AM on October 28, 2011


xorry, you're thinking of the John Bellairs books he illustrated.

Gorey also illustrated The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide, RIP.
posted by the_blizz at 11:48 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


xorry, can you remember anything about any of the plots or what age range they were for? homie illustrated a lot of shit.

i recited the gashlycrumb tinies for my poetry section in 7th grade. the teacher liked it; it seemd to be lost on the other students.

i really, really like edward gorey.
posted by beefetish at 11:49 AM on October 28, 2011


Great, now everyone is going to start wearing a scarf and canvas high-tops.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:49 AM on October 28, 2011


Small Edward Gorey anecdote:

Although I've never met the man, I once rented a room from Peter Neumeyer who was Gorey's friend, literary collaborator, and collector of Gorey's work. His house was THE most fantastic collection of Gorey's art, including many original works done for Dr. Neumeyer, his wife and children. I lived in their basement for a semester, the walls of my tiny room plastered with Gorey's work. Awesome.

Never dressed like him though.
posted by elendil71 at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


the_blizz: "xorry, you're thinking of the John Bellairs books he illustrated."

I blasted through pretty much all of John Bellairs when I was a preteen, and somehow never made the connection that they were illustrated by Gorey. Good memories improved!
posted by that's candlepin at 12:01 PM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


Oh Lord. If you want to dress like an Edward Gorey character, go to a thrift store. Kitting yourself in Topshop and high end vintage will send you to the poorhouse, where you will surely perish of consumption or be beaten over the head with a brickbat, and that's just taking things way too far.

If you simply must have Topshop, you could always sell your children. That's taking it way too far as well, but it's no peril to you personally, and you will look ever so swell.

(self links, throws cloak over face, flees the scene.)
posted by louche mustachio at 12:07 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


Oh, yes. The best way to dress like Edward Gorey, if you want full commitment without the peril, is to have lots of cats and rarely leave the house.

And to somehow convince everyone that you are British and/or dead.
posted by louche mustachio at 12:10 PM on October 28, 2011


GoreyWear: Clothing for the stylish investigator of the Cthulhu Mythos.

Related to matters both Gorey and Lovecraft: The Hapless Antiquarian
posted by JHarris at 12:12 PM on October 28, 2011


Very slight derail but somewhat relevant; Gorey's college room mate was the poet Frank O'Hara who was also a curator and a lovely though somewhat under recognized presence in the New York art world of the '50s and '60s. Apparently they set the tone for what was cool on campus at the time. Plus, I once saw a young woman with the Gashlycrumb Tinies tattooed on her back and it was a wonderful thing indeed.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 12:15 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


GoreyWear: Clothing for the stylish investigator of the Cthulhu Mythos.

I read all the Laundry books in one go last weekend and I'm convinced there has to be at least one agent who's just waaaay to into the idea of being a demonologist and dresses like a Gorey/Dr. Who character all the goddamned time.
posted by The Whelk at 12:18 PM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


(get on it cstross)
posted by The Whelk at 12:18 PM on October 28, 2011


The only play I've ever seen on Broadway was Dracula with sets and costumes by Edward Gorey. At the time, my mom was bummed that Frank Langella had left the production and the lead was being played by some unknown named Raul Julia.
posted by octothorpe at 12:39 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


Not bad, but there is a distinct lack of Erte gowns and massive strings of beads.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 12:58 PM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


That picture of him sleeping with the cats is pretty much the best thing ever.
posted by theredpen at 1:06 PM on October 28, 2011


(self links, throws cloak over face, flees the scene.)

Missing the paradoxical animated Inanimate Tragedy.
posted by kenko at 1:19 PM on October 28, 2011


So, are teenage girls really reading Rookie or is it all people like us?
posted by neroli at 1:23 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


exogenous: so many cats

Meh, that's three. And only one is on his lap, even though his legs are fully extended. It looks more intense because of all the other things in the shot.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:35 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


Totally worth it for the picture of Gorey + cats.

A friend of mine who taught 2nd grade had the Gashlycrumb Tinies poster in her classroom. The parents made her take it down.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 2:06 PM on October 28, 2011


I've always wanted to be The bat lady from the Mystery Intro for Halloween.
posted by vespabelle at 2:48 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


Wow.

I never realized I'm in love with Edward Gorey, so thanks for this.

Rookie is everything xojane should be ashamed for not being. I really hope it's reaching its target audience, because that's some damn good writing.
posted by Space Kitty at 2:48 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]


One of the most magnificent gifts I ever received was an Edward Gorey popup book, although my Edward Gorey Dracula toy theater is definitely a close second.
posted by winna at 3:33 PM on October 28, 2011


Wow, looking at that eventually lead me to this incredible Flickr set of photographs from a yet-unfinished Edward Gorey documentary by Christopher Seufert. The pictures of the inside of his Cape Cod house are amazing.

I wonder what happened to his kitties, though. I hope they all have good homes. :(
posted by Wuggie Norple at 3:37 PM on October 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


I've heard a persistent rumor that the " eccentric gentleman" White meets in " States Of Desire" is Gorey, a buzz from his Tony nomination.
posted by The Whelk at 4:03 PM on October 28, 2011


I came.
posted by Tarumba at 4:34 PM on October 28, 2011


Really, Tarumba? I mean, it's an attractive dress and all, but that response seems somewhat disproportionate.
posted by kenko at 4:53 PM on October 28, 2011


I've always wanted to be The bat lady from the Mystery Intro for Halloween.

I am so stealing this idea some Halloween when I have more than a day to do it!
posted by grapesaresour at 4:58 PM on October 28, 2011


kenko, I think the implication is that the seeing and the conquering are still on the to-do list.
posted by lekvar at 5:25 PM on October 28, 2011


In every interview, if Tim Burton doesn't thank Edward Gorey for his whole sensibility, Tim Burton is a goddam liar.

I hope awareness of Gorey will grow. Love him.
posted by Trochanter at 9:19 PM on October 28, 2011


I've fallen down a youtube hole of PBS Mystery. How could I possibly have forgotten Vincent Price as host? Old school Sherlock Holmes! I'm watching the fuck out of this tonight.

Squee!

posted by Space Kitty at 9:42 PM on October 28, 2011


I have this coat. It is a tight-fitting stretch denim number with long skirts and some disreputable-looking fake fur down the front and around the wrists.

I call it the Horrid Coat. It is the best-looking coat I ever owned.

I found it while looking for an Edward Gorey coat. It is not the kind of big fur coat he drew himself in, but it would not look out of place in any of his drawings. I've had it for about ten years now. The increasing raggedness of the fur only enhances its awesome style power.

I have gone out in public with nothing beneath it and looked awesome. I get compliments on it regularly. It cost all of fifty bucks in a thrift store, where it was on the rack with two coats just like it. (Maybe in a different size.)

When it starts to fall apart, my plan is to disassemble it and use it as a pattern to create a new one. Possibly in a more colorful material, or with EL wire and an inverter sewn into it. Because "strobes painfully" is about the only thing that can make this coat more wonderful.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that dressing like an Edward Gorey character is a bombtastic idea and I highly recommend it of you have the tall, skinny frame and the distracted air needed to pull it off.
posted by egypturnash at 1:12 AM on October 29, 2011


I wish I'd had the money to bid for one of Gorey's fur coats when they were sold at auction last year. (Photographs here, auction results here, eyewitness account of the sale here.)

This Finnish raccoon coat ('dyed green with green woollen lining and extra-large lapels. Very long and heavy') is particularly lovely, and would have gone nicely with the skull necklace.
posted by verstegan at 3:51 AM on October 29, 2011


With the weather we have in NY today, anyone who could do these costumes is golden.
posted by sweetkid at 9:55 AM on October 29, 2011


I'm so happy my outfit incorperates a wool coat and glowing embrella
posted by The Whelk at 9:57 AM on October 29, 2011


Embrella? Is that like an unbrella?
posted by maryr at 12:23 PM on October 29, 2011


xorry, previously. Ok, it's not really for kids. I keed, I keed. Young adults, perhaps.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 3:01 PM on October 29, 2011


Once, on vacation and in a strange city's used bookstore, with just enough pocket money to buy one thing, I found an excellent book. It was a paperback of puzzles (fresh and unsolved!) based on Gorey's drawings. Seeing it filled me with old lace and dusty nostalgia (at barely twelve, already) for a picture book I had read at the library years before.

I don't know how old I would have been then, but I was little enough that I did not remember the title or even how the story went. I had nothing but a so-far empty place in my brain for "stuff like that book I liked". Now there are lots of things in there. And I have this, obtained just a couple of years before Gorey died.

Thank you, small town tiny library librarian, for whatever reason you bought that little square book, and for whatever moved you to put it in the children's section.
posted by Sallyfur at 6:14 PM on October 29, 2011


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