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bows4crows.bsky.social
Alan 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈
@bows4crows.bsky.social
270 followers 410 following 790 posts
☠️ Future skeleton 🌘 Neurodivergent 🧘‍♂️ Yoga teacher 🧪 Neuroscientist 🌱 Vegetarian 🦤 He/him/they/them 🕹️ FGC 💃 Fashion
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bows4crows.bsky.social
Ball gown, 1860, 'probably American'

I really love how museums stage historic fashion. This one is great - the bows at her wrists; the matching headpiece; the casually held fan.
Its a lovely effect and really draws out the character of the dress.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a mannequin wearing a full length ball gown. It is in a paisley blue, made of silk and cotton. The view is slightly to the left side. The gown has a narrow bodice, with a broad rounded neckline exposing both shoulders. Two layers of fabric and lace hang from the neckline, following its curve, occluding the top half of the bodice. The skirts expand out in a typical bell shape, to the floor. Sleeves are ver short, with blue silk frills.
November 13, 2025 at 4:39 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Continuing my no-levelling run at Dark Souls 3, and I hit a major roadblock. Here is my 99th attempt at the Dancer of the Boreal Valley 😭

#darksouls #darksouls3 #sl1 #soullevel1 #onebros
youtu.be/AxjxPoxQYD4?...
Dark Souls 3 - Soul level 1 - Dancer of the Boreal Valley - 99th attempt
YouTube video by Votes4cows
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 9:39 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Wedding dress, American, 1859

Time for something nice. Another wedding dress today, in beautiful golden silk. The style is typical of the time, but I really love the detail of lace and fringing on the sleeves & bodice - gives a wonderful delicacy.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a golden silk wedding dress. The skirt is very full and bell-shaped, flowing out from the top of the hips to the floor, with quite satisfying large folds. The bodice is narrow at the waist, creating a v-shaped impression. There are several softly v-shaped layers of fabric on top of this, creating a rippled effect of fabric down the bodice. The lower two are hemmed with lace, as are the short sleeves.
November 12, 2025 at 10:02 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
FGC folks - this is who bought EVO, runs the Esports World Cup, and is throwing obscene amounts of money at Fatal Fury / SNK games.

We cannot support this.

Few things in this world are untouched by evil, but this is a very unambiguous case for a boycott.

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
‘I’ll be executed on Tuesday’: families reveal panicked last calls from foreigners on Saudi’s death row
Relatives share with the Guardian final words of those killed amid ‘horrifying’ surge in capital punishment under Mohammed bin Salman’s rule
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:03 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
I see Canada has lost its measles elimination status (was declared measles-free in 1988).
Out of curiosity I looked up what Andrew Wakefield is doing these days. Thriving and still peddling his lies. The man should be in prison for life. So much blood on his hands.
November 12, 2025 at 8:49 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
I don't mention it much here, but I run a #meditation group at work, and have been asked to put some recordings online. Sharing here in case anyone is interested.

And for lack of anything better to use, I've captured #EldenRing footage as a background, cos why not.

youtu.be/Lux6-CSxFcs?...
Guided meditation: Withdrawal of awareness
YouTube video by Yoga with Alan
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 9:56 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Wedding dress, American, 1858

This is really beautiful, and also quite modern, in a way? The colour is really quite special (I don't know colours so someone tell me what it is...). Lovely lace detailing on the sleeves too.

#fashionsky #dresshistory #fashionhistory #TheMet
Image 1. A museum photo of a wedding dress. It is made of silk, and coloured ivory/cream (I'm not sure). The bodice is tight and tapered to the waist. The neckline is a broad scoop, exposing both shoulders. There is a double skirt - the outer layer going to below the knees, and the inner layer to the floor. The skirts themselves are the typical bell-shape of the period, expanding out from the hips quite dramatically. Image 2. Close up of the sleeve of the dress in Image 1. The sleeve is very short, flaring out slightly from the shoulder, and has several inches of lace extending from the hem to about the mid-upper arm.
November 10, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Reposted by Alan 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈
theplanetaryguy.bsky.social
Thinking of my pals who are down at the Cape today for the launch of the ESCAPADE dual-spacecraft mission to Mars!

ESCAPADE, one of NASA's SIMPLEx-2 mission selections, was originally slated to launch with the Psyche mission. It's now going up on Blue Origin's New Glenn 2 (NG-2) flight.
The New Glenn-2 rocket on the LC-36 pad at Cape Canaveral, photographed on 8 November 2025.
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
I'm trying a challenge run at Dark Souls 3 - no levelling up allowed. I managed it in DS1, 2 and Elden Ring ok. So far so good - I'd forgotten how much fun this game is!

#darksouls #darksouls3 #soullevel1 #sl1 #onebros #vordt #abysswatchers
youtu.be/L3zHNn5DoCA
Dark Souls 3 - Soul level 1 - Vordt, Crystal Sage, Deacons of the Deep, Abyss Watchers
YouTube video by Votes4cows
youtu.be
November 8, 2025 at 10:11 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Well this is shaping up to be a great reading 😐💩💀
#tarot #tarotsky
A photo of two Tarot cards. On the left is the Death card, reversed. A figure in black is on a white horse carrying a black flag. A queen lies dead at her feet. An old woman stands patiently. A young woman looks away in fear. A child looks on curiously. On the right is The Tower. A tall tower is struck by Lightning and is in fire. One figure is falling from a window. A second is impaled on rocks below.
November 7, 2025 at 8:34 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Bear with me, but the awesome new song by #Miyeon seems to be inspired by Folsom Prison Blues, by Johnny Cash? The lyrics seem like a very clear reference. What a crossover 😄

#gidle #idle #neverland #kpop #johnnycash #reno

youtu.be/nXWEZT0fVYY?...
미연 (MIYEON) 'Reno (Feat. Colde)' Official Music Video
YouTube video by i-dle (아이들)
youtu.be
November 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Afternoon dress, American, 1855

Once again, does this 170 year old dress not scream Vivienne Westwood? "The Wheel of Time turns..."

The pattern is gorgeous, and the lack of embellishment on the dress really lets it shine. What a lovely thing.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a full-length, silk afternoon dress. The skirt forms a bell-shaped silhouette, with a tapered bodice typical of this period. The sleeves flare out at the wrist, with openings of at least 6 to 8 inches. The outstanding feature of the dress is the fabric - a blue, orange and white plaid pattern. There are also large, black, fabric-covered buttons down the front of the bodice, and horizontal strips of the same black material at the upper arm and just above the wrist.
November 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
We all know that #FinalFantasyVIII is the best game (ask @philsalv.bsky.social if you don't believe me). But did you know that its music is also the best music?

Check out this lovely piece played by @harpsibored.bsky.social. Really beautiful stuff.

#FF8 #FinalFantasy

youtu.be/v8k06sPHLFw?...
Final Fantasy VIII - Balamb Garden (Harp Solo)
YouTube video by Harpsibored
youtu.be
November 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
If you have tried and failed to "get into fighting games", this might be the thing for you. He really knows what he's talking about!
Or ask me, I'm friendly and still remember what it was like to be absolutely terrible at them.
pattheflip.bsky.social Smokage of the Burning Leaf @pattheflip.bsky.social · 10d
FROM MASHER TO MASTER 2 IS OUT!

If you want to get into fighting games but don't know where to begin, this book will guide your journey.

Featuring art by @koh.money and a foreword by Gerald Lee of Core-A Gaming!

patrickmiller.itch.io/from-masher-...
November 4, 2025 at 8:13 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Dress, European, 1853

The skirt is really striking - the rippled layering really adds to the volume. The fabric itself looks really delicate and has a beautiful floral pattern - almost like the light fabric you would see on a fan.

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a dress in silk and wool. The bodice is tapered with clear folds on the right and left of the front, creating a v-shape front. Both the sleeves and the skirt have a rippled effect. That is, there are successive layers of fabric, hanging over each other in broad horizontal layers. The fabric itself looks delicate. It is pale coloured, with a repeating floral pattern, edged in a dark blue trim.
November 3, 2025 at 5:01 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Even the Olympics is cutting ties with Saudia Arabia. I would really love for games developers (especially FGC ones) to do the same. Obviously too late for SNK, but Capcom etc still have time to not get any further involved.
videogameschronicle.com VGC @videogameschronicle.com · 10d
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ended its partnership with Saudi Arabia and cancelled plans to hold the Olympic Esports Games in the country, a year after announcing a decade-long agreement.

vgc.news/news/olympic...
Olympics ends Esports plans with Saudi Arabia after just one year | VGC
The IOC says it decided to end an announced partnership with Saudi Arabia…
vgc.news
November 3, 2025 at 1:22 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
This MP has no idea what she's talking about.
My time as a school governor was just us cutting and cutting, year after year. There is no capacity for more testing; no money for extracurricular activities. There's barely enough money for paper. Its infuriating.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Bridget Phillipson ‘ready to take on unions’ over year 8 reading tests
Education secretary says mandatory test needed to tackle ‘shocking outcomes’ for many working-class children
www.theguardian.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:56 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Not doing much in particular for #Samhain (might read some #Tarot for the new season later), but its lovely seeing what everyone else is getting up to today on #Witchsky 🧙‍♀️🌔✨
October 31, 2025 at 4:51 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Child's dress, American, 1850

The use of two different fabrics is really striking here. Whether deliberate or done due to scarcity, it looks really great. And I love the detailing on the open sleeves. A really cute dress for a child.

#Fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory #TheMet
Museum photo of a child's dress, in shades of yellow and cream, with red detailing. It looks like it'd fit a girl of age 7-10 or so. The waist is neatly delineated by a horizontal strip (about an inch high), with vertical folds in the bodice that seem typical of the period. It has a circle neck, and a flared skirt to mid-calf (at a guess). There are two really interesting features. The bodice and part of the front of the dress are made in a more muted fabric - darker yellow, with a floral pattern. The rest of the skirt is in a lighter yellow, with detailing of red ovals and plain circles. The effect is like that of an apron, but its one garment. The second interesting aspect is the sleeves. These are very short, with a neat cuff trimmed in bright red. However, the puffed sleeve above the cuff is actually open in several places.
October 31, 2025 at 4:28 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Very relatable
thedailytism.com The Daily Tism @thedailytism.com · 13d
A neurotypical woman who advised you to  “switch off and enjoy the silence once in a while”, can’t hear the relentless gremlin-like shrieking coming from the walls, it has been rumoured.

This & so much more over on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/141560...
“Enjoy the peace and quiet” says neurotypical woman who can’t hear the walls screaming
October 31, 2025 at 11:31 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Making an effort to finally learn Virtua Fighter, with the launch of the updated version of VF5 yesterday. One really neat touch is that the main menu automatically plays replays from other players that you can watch right there. Really cool feature!

#virtuafighter #virtuafighter5
Screenshot of the main menu of Virtua Fighter 5: World Tour. It shows a number of options such as ranked match, training, arcade, etc. About a third of the screen is occupied by a replay of a match between two online players.
October 31, 2025 at 8:07 AM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Child's dress, American, 1850

Today I learned this style would have been worn by boys or girls, so that's really cool. Its such a cute little dress, and I'd guess from the proportions that its for very young kids. I welcome any better informed opinions!

#fashionsky #fashionhistory #dresshistory
Museum photo of a childs dress. Its made in printed blue wool and skil. The bodice is relatively straight cut with small vertical folds in the front, and two horizontal strips of very detailed gold embroidery around the waist. The skirt flares out quite wide, with a further gold strip halfway down. Its difficult to tell the length of the skirt from this photo. Sleeves are very short with a big puff, and are capped at the upper arm with further embroidery.
October 30, 2025 at 3:46 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
A new video from Sean is always a treat - and if you're interested in older video games, particularly PS1 games, then you have got to check out his channel.
seanseanson.bsky.social Sean Seanson @seanseanson.bsky.social · 16d
Come watch my very long video about Taito games on the PS1, every single one in fact! Can you believe how much Bub and Bob you're about to see? Bubble Dragon fans come through!

A Look at EVERY Taito PS1 Game is out now!!!

Likes and shares greatly appreciated as always <3

youtu.be/DtAKHQhVV98?...
A Look At EVERY Taito PS1 Game | Sean Seanson
YouTube video by Sean Seanson
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 9:49 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Reading the detail of this, it really reminds me of the direction of travel within the UKs health services.
www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/10...
EA's Game Development Is Very Quickly Becoming an AI-Driven Hellscape, Report Claims
From bad to worse
www.pushsquare.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
bows4crows.bsky.social
Mourning dress, American, 1848

I'm back to work after a month off, so a mourning dress seems apt. And what a beautiful one it is. The pattern reminds me of some moths' colouration (can't recall which ones). Anyway, I love everything about this.

#dresshistory #fashionhistory #fashionsky #TheMet
Image 1. A museum photo of a black silk mourning dress, with a pale cream pinstripe. It is a full length dress. The skirt flares out from the hips, and has soft folds folds throughout. The bodice is somewhat v-shaped, tight at the waist. The shoulders are bare, with a very broad open neckline. Sleeves are short, to the upper bicep, and flaring out from the shoulders a couple of inches. The mannequin also wears lace fingerless gloves, to the mid-forearm. Image 2. Close-up photo of the fabric from image 1. Showing the matt black silk and cream pin-stripe.
October 28, 2025 at 8:58 AM