Too Many Tights!

You Were Working as a Waitress in a Cocktail Bar, When I First Met You

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To all the people who have asked - the Bandages will be available next week as part of a little mini collection I have been working on. There will also be an old favourite that I get asked about a lot... ;) (hint, hint)

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1. My little secret is out - I finally succeeded in making the Bandages work!

TECHNICAL STUFF ALERT! (If you don't like technical clothing design stuff, skip ahead)

Creating a great bandage leggings was a real challenge. These kinds of leggings were known to have a couple of potentially fatal flaws (and by fatal, I mean consigned to the back of the cupboard, half way to Narnia).

1. Holes can be stretch too wide when it is put on, leaving big chunks of leg visible. 
2. Unflattering at the top where the widest part of the leg is, and where the largest holes will be.
3. Getting them on the equivalent of wresting a giant tapeworm (i.e. really hard)

So the design had to eliminate all these problems. The most important modification I did was to double up the bandage section, with one piece having the straps going one way, and the other piece having the straps go the other way. This meant that you got great leg coverage, but still kept a very strappy effect. 

It also meant that when you pulled them on, great big holes didn't open up - the doubled up section meant that there was always equal force on both sides of each strap, so they wouldn't open up.

Last of all, I did something a little different at the top. I wanted the panty section non-strapped (for obvious reasons) which meant the strapped panels had to finish at the top of the thigh. Instead of having a straight line at the top, I angled it upwards and outwards. It's hard to imagine, but much more flattering (it doesn't 'chop' your legs off). 

Anyway, they're very sweet.

Whew!

3. Worst. Idea. Ever.

4. Flourescent yellow strip going down the crotch. Discuss.

Sold out.

5. Check out these two pics:

I often get asked "Do you do anything, y'know... romantic?"

How about no. (For reasons why, see pictures above). Although... I am working on a draped dress at the moment. For real!

x

jL

Mini Skulls + Helvetica

1. Okay, because my official release schedule is based on random girls begging me for stuff ... I'm releasing another couple of products! 

Allow me to present you with two new leggings designs - the Mini Skulls Leggings, and the Helvetica Leggings, a special bonus one for the font geeks. :)

1. Mini Skulls:

You can get them here.

2. Helvetica:

You can get them here.

This font is so epic they made a documentary about it.

I'm getting a bucketload of these printed next week, so if you order in the next couple of days yours will get done next week. :)

x

jL

Come On, Come On, Come On, Get Through It

1. Well here I am am sitting at my computer blogging at 7:00am in the morning - chewing on a carrot and half a cucumber. Jealous much? 

Yeah, I bet you are, slurping down half a kilo of Froot Loops thinking "Oh how I wish I could experience the nourishment and wellbeing that comes from a breakfast of raw vegetables!"

Because I'm trying to get rid of the man-fat roll that loiters just above my belt. Taunting me.

Reminds me, I found this pic from the Galliano show:

Erm... that's cheating. Am I to understand that this woman's job is to finger paint fake abs on dudes?

And can anyone tell me why Galliano is using that font on his undies? I don't want to stigmatise and stereotype an entire font, but isn't that the Mexican street gang font? Maybe John Galliano used to be in a Mexican street gang.

I don't even want to imagine how much those undies cost.

2. Candy, Candy, Candy I can't let you go...

Pic from the wonderful Pandabelle, who I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with last week trying on clothes.

Damn, now that song is in my head:

 

Iggy Pop doesn't need painted on abs.

3. For those who have emailed me that Charlotte Gainsbourg's keyboard player performs in Leg Bones - I can conform that this is indeed the truth.

4. Props to Topshop who have figured out a brilliant way to make a comfortable fitting PVC garment - check it out:

 

Notice that the PVC section is just at the front, with a stretchy nylon section at the back to better fit the body. Genius!

How do they come up with these ideas?

5. This is fantastic:

Maybe I should do a Slinky Bodysuit with Wet look nylon sides instead of sheer?

I have actually made a few mods to the Slinky Bodysuit, that sheer middle section is much closer together, which gives you a lot more booby coverage. That's a good thing.

And the bod above belongs to the amazing KD, who gave me an idea for a pair of leggings last week. I have finished them and I'm going to test them today. I will call them "Strappy Illusion Leggings", maybe.

6. Always a buzz to see uberstylista Moohoop with a bodysuit...

This one is the fabulous Resurrection bodysuit.

7. I really need to get around to releasing the mini-shorts, here's a teaser from the super sweet BC:

Think beach, BBQs, pool parties... :) 

x

jL 

Weaving Is a Man's Game

1. If you don't like the mental imagery evoked by the phrase 'cracked out panda', skip to section 2.

So subtle.

She looks like the love child of Courtney Love and a cracked out panda.

2. It's always a special treat for me when SP does a Lookbook look (hype it here) with a BlackMilk piece. Here we have the Black Ribs Bodysuit:

I swear there is a conspiracy at Lookbook.

More pics to love.

I really wish I hadn't stuffed up the printing on my last run of these black ribs bodysuits. But good news is that I'm getting a whole bunch more this week... which will get posted the week after.

You can get them here.

3. Got this from the erudite GT, who suggested this woman needs a link to the Sheer Spartans. I agree. 

I am so going to do a Seven Deadly Sins of Leggings series here.

5. Got these sweet pics from Larrie. This is a phrase I never thought I'd use, but, I really like pictures of Larrie wearing leggings. 

How cool is this?

Yes, the Galaxy Leggings. You can get them here. 

6. I consider the entire nation of Taiwan responsible for this abomination, and we are soooo not talking.

Although - props to the girl on the left for stamping on this guy's crotch.

7. And got this from the super sweet HN, the Leg Bones (yes, we have all the sizes again!)

You want to know something funny - after I posted that I get a disproportionate number of emails containing the phrase "I had a dream about you last night.." I get emails saying "I did too - but I never mentioned it because I thought it would be weird!"

Yeah, probably.

8. So here's a picture of myself. This is me on the left wearing my Black Ribs bodysuit. That's my boyfriend on the right, posing hard. Isn't he so handsome?

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The BIZ

Okay, last time I asked for some opinions on the following statement:  

I'm good at designing clothes - therefore I should run a fashion business.

And the answer is... that we have here what is commonly known as a non-sequitur. The conclusion is not logically entailed by the premise. Kind of like if you took a girl out on a date and she said "I had a really good time out with you tonight. You should become a gigolo!"

Fashion, and the fashion industry are two separate beasts. You can love one and hate the other. In fact, loving one may cause you to hate the other! 

I don't think you should ever go into the fashion business because you enjoy fashion, per se. I enjoy a glass of milk in the evenings, but that doesn't mean I have any interest in becoming a dairy farmer. 

You should go into the fashion business because you enjoy the fashion business. Otherwise, just enjoy the clothes in whatever non-commercial way you see fit.

Of course, you may not like the fashion business as it now stands, and believe that you could create an innovative business system that avoids certain - shall we say - undesirable aspects of the traditional fashion business.

And I know for a fact that you can.

x

jL

Prepaid Wireless To The Rescue!

1. We're back, baby! Now, where were we...? Ah yes, ladies, nylon, fashion, superheroes, legs, etc.

2. Quite a few people told me they'd spotted some Black Milk gear over at Nasty Gal. And so it was:

Anatomist Leggings Black

Anatomist Leggings Silver.

I really like it how it looks like the skeletons are having a conversation with each other across your legs.

3. Had to share this pic:

Is it just me who thinks that this is insanely cool?

You know I got in trouble recently for using the word coolest? I got this comment today on a post from a few weeks back:

which lunatic thought it would be a good idea to use the words "coolest" and "bodysuit" in the same sentence?

Erm, that would be me. I'm sorry, I don't know what was I thinking. I'm glad we've identified the real issues that matter and are dealing with them.

4. And I had to mention these pics, from the beautiful PBM:

You may recognise the Black Spartans. They're at the bottom. I think you can also find these pics will be in the dictionary under 'hourglass'. 

Is it just me or does that last photo have a definite 'what are you looking at, boy?!' vibe? I feel reprimanded just looking at it. 

5. I don't think I've posted these from Beserk Clothing:

Yes, the Stay Ups. You recognise them. But you won't recognise these:

Diamonds - they're a girl's best friend (and dogs are a man's best friend, ripped off!). I really should start selling these, they're so cool... I mean rad, I mean - I don't know, I just like them.

STYLING TIP OF THE WEEK: Chunky flat boots with printed leggings. Or Docs.

6. Another styling tip -avoid centre seams. However, lightning print apparel, not a bad idea. Lightning bodysuit... hmmm. Yeah, I made one.

You can tell a lot from a woman's eyes. If you look long enough, a woman's eyes will speak to you. These ones below are encouraging me to live a drug and alcohol free life.

I have also made a new bodysuit called "The Emotional Range of Popsicles". It is the cutest.

7. A few people have asked to see the Lightning leggings from more angles. As you wish:

And would you like atta-chood with that?

If you want them, you can get them here.

One thing you have to say about the the Lightning Leggings - they are certainly very striking. (Pause for laughter). Come on, you saw that one coming.

8. I am getting around to my advice for getting going in independent creative industry. Got some really good ideas which I think will be very helpful to many of you out there I'm sure.

To start, let me throw out a simple idea, which may be true or false:

Q1: I'm good at designing clothes - therefore I should run a fashion business.

Discuss.

(This question contributes to 10% of your final grade)

x

jL

Accidental Death of an Anarchist

Hi peeps, well it's finally happened - I'm blogging from a phone. It's the blogosphere equivalent of being homeless. The first thing I should say is that if you have emailed me and I haven't gotten back do you, it's not because I don't love you. I do love you. All of you. We share a common bond - an irrational obsession with tight, stretchy women's apparel. I mean, hell, that stuff runs deep. It's in the blood. It's just that my Internet is down. So if I don't get back to within a few days, drop me another email and you'll get some love. Second, I will be posting around 50 packages tomorrow, including all the Lightning leggings (I can't link or post pics, so just use your imagination). So for all those waiting on stuff, it will probably go out tomorrow. Except if you're waiting on the Black Ribs - I totally stuffed up the printing on those. Sorry! I'll get some more done up soon. Because I can't access emailed pics at the moment, if you do have some pics for me, just post them at the Black Milk Clothing Facebook group, and I shall appreciate them from afar. By the way, did you know I had a dream about you last night? Yes, you. I'd tell you all about it but ... well ... it was kinda freaky. X jL P.s I can't remember who the person was who suggested a different coloured panel behind the zip in the Zippered Skirt, but it was a very good idea. I have a ruched skirt with a secret gold panel hiding behind the zip. It's all nice, innocent and black, and then all of a sudden ... BAM! Gold panel, sucker! How are you gonna deal with that?!

Satan Has Infested My Internet

1. Okay, so when you move into a brand new place you just don't think to ask, "Hey, the phone lines are connected, right?"

For real. I'm running an internet business from a smashed iPhone at the moment. Genius.

So that's why I've been a little absent, but rest assured, peeps, I'm still here. 

2. To keep you going and give you your nylon fix, check out this picture of the uber cute SP, with the crystal bodysuit

2. Oh, and had to mention these pretty piccies from JT:

Sheer Spartans....

JT, I don't know how the prostitutes dress in Sydney... but in Brisbane they are sooooo not this fashionable.

Not that I'd know.

3. And for the squillions of people who have asked, the Leg Bones are back. You know you want them.

 

I had some print issues... but they're all better now. :) 

4. You want to know something strange? I get a disproportionately large number of emails that contain the phrase "I had a dream about you last night..."

Cool, I guess.

x

jL

 

MOVING!

Moving today! 

And so begins a new chapter in the ongoing fashion saga that is Black Milk. Part tragedy, part comedy, part B grade horror. 

Goodbye little house, sorry we outgrew you.

I may be a little AWOL until we are set up. So maybe just trawl the internet for random stuff until I get back, okay?

Internet hugs to all of you from me.

Couldn't resist mentioning a couple of things... the unbelievably stylish Moohoop with the new Moonwalker bodysuit.

Hell yeah. Seriously - how amazing is this girl's styling?! You can get the bodysuit here, should  you so desire.

And on the subject of amazing styling... found this little pic on SP's Tumblr. And I loved it.

You go, Simba.

The epic safety pin leggings. 

And if you were wondering - no, you don't have to be an über stylish blond asian to wear Black Milk. But it helps.

x

jL

  

It's Okay To Eat Fish Because They Don't Have Any Feelings

*** I wrote this post after working 18 hours straight, sleeping for two hours, and working another 5 hours. If it doesn't make sense, just pretend it does. ***

1. I often get asked for advice on starting out in the fashion industry. 

So... having said that, I think I might do a regular segment here giving advice to girls/guys who want to break into the independent fashion industry.

Would you guys be interested in that? Are a few of you hoping to get into the independent fashion biz?

2. I was contacted by European Wardrobe who thought I should mention these leggings from Sarah Wayne in Paris.

I must admit I did find it amusing to hear from an Australian retailer how excited they were about getting designer leggings in from France. 

I guess we just have to hope that one day we might get great designer leggings here in Australia (wh-what?!)

Designer leggings in Australia - that's just crazy talk!

3. Now this would be a challenge to sew...

This girl is so hardcore she has knives in her wings. That's right, not just wings, but wings with knives in them.

You can't top that.

4. I've been getting some blog traffic from some different places recently - so I guess I should say a big hello to all my hundreds of recent visitors from shinyuploads.com! Hi boys!

Great to see TooManyTights getting some press - tucked away nicely between other such great sounding websites such as:

• Shiny Asian Amateurs
• Spandex Spanking
• Sweaty Leotard Fetish
• Goddess of Flexibility

Yep, bye bye fashion credibility. Nice knowing you.

5. Got tipped off to this interesting piece:

That's a nipple incident just waiting to happen. However, should you feel the need to take the risk, go here. 

Actually, I just looked again and diplomacy be damned - this is woeful! Look at it from behind:

Because what woman doesn't want to create the illusion that her bum is sloping downwards?

5. Sorry to all those who are still waiting on bodysuits. They're coming! I'm getting 100 next week.

6. Russia and Brazil... you're sooooo about to be banned from my mailing list. Do the postal services of these places exclusively hire criminals with nylon fetishes ?

"Hmmmm, this is a nice shiny black package, let me see what's inside. Very high quality and yet reasonably priced designer leggings! .... Oh happy day - I think I'll have me a pair of those!" (steals clothing).

Grrrrr.

jL

Scaramouche, Can You Do The Fandango?

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Bodysuits are back and available again! I don't have the black background ribs and skulls up in the shop yet, but if you really, really want them, just buy the white ones and write in the notes that you want black. :)

Here's a sneak peak of what they look like in black:

And just to remind you what is available:

• Spaceman
• Moonwalker
• Crystal
• Ribs
• Sunset
• Resurrection
• BlackMilk
• Tiger
• Skull

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1. The Cape is getting lots of loving at the moment. Got these from the ultra cute Tiffany O (hype her here):

How good is that?! You can get the Cape here. 

2. I have no idea where I found this rather strange pic:

"Yeah, I'm comfortable - why do you ask? I lounge around topless on window ledges all the time"

Big chunky openings in your leggings is a very unflattering look. If you want openings, go the Black Milk Side Teardrop Shreds or Back Teardrop Shreds.

Much better.

3. And for those who wanted to see more pics of the Lightning Leggings:

4. How cool are these? Very cool.

I have one. I should probably make more.

6. I must confess I felt quite emotional watching Lilo's demise recently.

For whatever bizarre reason, I feel a strange sense of solidarity with Lindsay. We both went into the fashion industry - and we both chose to design leggings.

And we both made millions. Except me.

And now we're both going to jail. Except me.

x

jL