Posting from Jodi Mitchell, who lived at Wheeler Ranch commune when I did, in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s:
I have a new part time librarian gig staffing the groovy Teen Zone at
the downtown Oakland Public Library. I love this job, as I am
surrounded by teens and pop culture. We have a wonderful periodical
collection, and I love looking at Japanese fashion magazines, as they
are so much cooler and more creative and cutting-edge-trendy fashion
wise than we are in the dowdy old frumpy US of Ass. One of my favorite
mags. is called Cutie: it has the best ever fashions, and I get ideas
for my thrift-store outfits from it. They always spotlight a latest
rock band in each issue.. I can’t read any of it because it is all in
Japanese, but today I was reading the October 2007 issue and on page
118 they spotlighted the popular girl rock group Puffy wearing none
other than Alicia’s Living On the Earth fashion line. It is so awesome
to see this trendy, Japanese, teenager, contemporary fashion and pop
culture magazine with a very popular girl pop group wearing Wheeler’s
Ranch motifs . LOL! I love it. It made my day to see this. Thanks
Alicia. When I land my ultimate, high-paying librarian gig_I’m going
to buy one of these dresses! They are so cute!
Comments fellow commune alumna Judith Gips: Japanese cutting edge meets ‘70s California rural hipdom meets urban Oakland teens inthe fashion Zone…hoowee…
Alicia comments: If only they knew where I buy 90% of my fashion wardrobe:
The Goodwill!
Now Madonna, she knew…
Cuteness is a quality greatly cherished in Japan, in women, in kids, in animation, and in advertising and manufacturing. Perfect name for a teen mag.
Alicia Bay Laurel 