Monday 19 November 2012

I like your BRAIN.

Hello ladies and gentleman! Like my shirt? This aspiring neuroscientist was asked by Dizzy Little Dotty to wear & review a t-shirt, and so of course I decided to choose the brain one. Well, the zombie/brain one, anyway. I thought it was pretty appropriate - I like brains, what can I say? 
So when I received the t-shirt in the mail I went through all my shorts and skirts, wondering what I should pair it with. I kept looking at the outfit of the cute nerd-girl on the t-shirt thinking, "damn. I wish I had a skirt like that." Luckily, I then remembered that I have sewing abilities! So I ended up emulating the girl in the t-shirt in my outfit, and making a blue pencil skirt with little heart-pockets and suspenders. I decided not to stop there, and so I put on some knee-high socks and brown brogues as well, just like the girl on the shirt.
Now I basically am the girl on my new Dizzy Little Dotty t-shirt. (And this has got the potential to become like the painting of a painting within a painting that goes on infinitely, haha.)
Can I also recommend that you check out Lauren Carney's artwork blog?? (Lauren Carney is the lovely lady who puts the artworks on the shirts at Dizzy Little Dotty.) Her illustrations are actually ludicrously cool. Her facebook is probably the best place to see all her artworks. I keep discovering all these amazing artists lately (like these two) that are really making me wish I could draw. Guess I'll have to be satisfied with being able to make clothes... for now...
 
wearing
t-shirt - c/o Dizzy Little Dotty
bag - c/o Choies
skirt - I made it!
socks - c/o Sock Dreams
 shoes - Vintage

Speaking of brains and zombies, here's a real-life science example of zombification. (Not involving humans, don't worry.) Ants can be infected by a species of fungi called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, that actually turns the ants into zombies by altering the ant's brain chemistry, changing their behaviour and causing them climb up the stem of a plant and clamp on for dear life until they die. Then the fungus continues growing inside the ant until it sprouts out the top, releasing spores of itself onto the conveniently placed plant below it.
Here's some of the innocent-looking fungi that have these mind-altering properties (that sentence could be taken out of context very easily). I cropped the picture because a zombie-fied dead ant was a little too grusome for a fashion blog, but if you want to see the whole picture then click here (don't worry it's not horrific or anything, it just features a poor dead ant with some fungi sticking out of it), and if you're interested, you can read more about parasitic fungi here.
And if you're worried about an analogous parasite-zombie relationship occurring in humans, well as far as we know fungi can't do this to us - but if you want to sleep tonight, then don't look up toxoplasma. That is all.


25 comments:

  1. I love your shirt! And I am a big fan that you created a matching outfit to go with it; nice. :D

    And your zombie ants story was very interesting! I mean it whole-heartedly. Fashion + bug facts makes me a happy camper, most likely because I am weird.

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    Replies
    1. if you're weird I am too because I LOVE reading about parasites. (Particularly the ones that take over brains). They're so cool!

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  2. sweet outfit! well, the tee shirt is not that "sweet" but very funny!

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  3. Aaaaaaaaaaah !
    You know I don't have a lot of phobia, but mushrooms and worms...
    When I was sat in the dentist waiting room, I was reading "Science et Vie Junior" which is a science magazine for teenagers. And they spoke about the toxoplasma. I read the entire article (I love reading science article about the strangest things), and that was a big shock !! I have a lot of cats at home, and they said that cats have this parasite inside of them etc... Well I guess you know about it :)
    When the dentist arrived in the room, he looked at me so weird as I was litterally disgusted about what I read and I guess the expression was on my face haha.
    Anyway, I hope I don't have this inside of me because of cats, I hope my brain is not infected yet, and I also hope I'll not become a zombie soon !

    By the way, I love your outfit ! I love the way you integrated a t-shirt like this in such a cute look :)

    Noé,
    on Couleur Spleen.

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    Replies
    1. Haha, well according to some sources (I don't know how great these estimations are, but anyway) 10% - 20% of people likely have toxoplasma inside them. it's debatable, however, whether people's behaviour is actually affected by them, like the zombie ants. It's been suggested that people who have toxoplasma are particularly crazy about cats (like the rats toxoplasma also infects) - but do people love cats because they have toxoplasma, or do people have toxoplasma because they have cats? I have two cats and have always been very careful to wash my hands suuuper well after I cuddle them in any case, haha.

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  4. I love the fact that you recreated the girl's outfit from the shirt! So cute and clever. How fascinating is that fungus? It's actually kind of pretty, in a way.

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  5. Ugh, I thought I was the only girl studying science and running a fashion blog. You give me hope :') and proud to be a science student
    Thank you so much <3

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    Replies
    1. oh hooray! another science student, awesome :) I sure haven't met that many - if it were graphed on a venn diagram "fashion blogger" and "scientist" would nearly be entirely separate circles. but I've met a few! I've been making a little list of scientist bloggers :)
      these ladies are fashion blogger/scientists too:
      www.pandaphilia.com/
      ellomennopee.blogspot.co.uk/
      dressesonaclothesline.blogspot.co.uk/
      saltandleather.blogspot.com
      dreamersanddrifters.blogspot.com
      goodmorningangel.blogspot.co.uk/
      undeaddandy.blogspot.com

      see, loads of hope! haha ♥

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  6. love your "outfit within an outfit" style! <3 wish i could make clothes as well as you~

    http://quirkyaesthetics.blogspot.com/

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  7. I'm spending my Thanksgiving break earning how to sew, because being able to make my own outfit is a lot more appealing than buying an outfit. I'm studing cognitive science/neuroscience in university and so the addition of brain fact makes this so much more fun for me to read. The shirt is super cute, and the whole outfit is painfully clever. You're really good at life! <3

    <3, Khadijat
    http://youthsavage.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. oh yes, that's right you're a neuro lady too! hooooray! :) there's so many of us (at least 3? 4?) Thank you so much, you're super lovely ♥
      Good luck learning to sew! I've got a tutorial coming up for this type of skirt that you could start on, because it's quite easy :)

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  8. Zombie ants! Science is awesome. I was never very good at it, but thought it was interesting. Thanks for sharing.

    I just started following your blog and I love your style.

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  9. Your look is so pretty! With that blue gingham dress, it reminds me of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz (yes, the red touch on the bag instead of the shoes helps)!

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  10. Oh wow, this story is so real, oh.
    You look awesome. This tee is really cool, but I can't stop looking on the dress. I must say this: I'm obsessed with these hearts <3
    You look amazing, Annika :)

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  11. the skirt is SO CUTE oh my god *-*
    i have to learn how to sew asap so i can make awesome things, too!
    you are awesome

    Stella's Ice Age

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  12. i don't think i have ever feel more in love with a skirt, than this one! so cute, you are so talented dear! keep up all of this! is there anyway i can buy this from you? hehe

    lindsey louise

    hellomrrabbit.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. actually... I was thinking about selling these, they're actually the best quality thing I've made (I made a couple yesterday, haha).
      I'll keep you updated... ♥

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  13. that's a pretty skirt ;)
    Irene Wibowo

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  14. I love that you made a skirt like the cartoon girlie has. So cool.

    Rachel

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  15. Sweetieeeee <3 (*0*)
    love the tee hahahaha!

    www.thehappypotatoes.com

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  16. I discovered your blog via the lovely Lauren Carney and I love your blog darling - in love with this skirt of yours!

    Eda ♥

    Candyfloss Curls, Cupcakes & Couture

    @BloggerEda

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Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a message! I read every single one. Don't forget to check back for a reply if you leave a question! ♥

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