Holiday Looks Inspired by Marlee Matlin

Anybody know who Marlee Matlin is? Well, besides one of my heroes, she is an Academy-Award- and Gold-Globe-winning actress, a mother of four, and deaf. Haha, you knew it was coming! It's been way too long since a post related to the Deaf community here at Nine to Phive, and who better to usher in the theme than the beautiful Marlee?

Marlee is the only deaf actress to every win an Academy Award for Best Actress, and she won it for her debut film, Children of a Lesser God. Her first film! Let me tell you, her signing in so incredible and impassioned in this movie, and the story is so powerful. She has also appeared on popular TV shows Seinfeld (my family is addicted) and The 'L' Word (don't endorse the show, but there is one scene where she fights an ex-girlfirend in ASL that is absolutely breathtaking). She even scored a Best Actress nomination for playing a role as a hearing woman in Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story.

Aside from being inspired by Marlee, this post sadly has little to do with sign language or the Deaf community.

The above image of Marlee is so sexy and wintery that I knew I had to make an outfit post inspired by it. What I did not anticipate is that my inspiration would birth four outfits! The good thing about this overkill is that it provides inspiration for four very different holiday party looks.

Greens and reds are pretty overdone this time of year, so I often tend more towards blues, grays, and silvers--all of which are alive and well in the above picture of Marlee.

Flirty Skirt

Doesn't this outfit just say "party?" The eye-catching shimmery skirt is contrasted nicely by the simplicity of the white V-neck tee shirt. Add some unique patterned tights for warmth, a cute clutch, some creative jewelry, and comfortable party-ready booties for an ensemble that is perfect for rocking around the Christmas tree. Note the bracelet that spells out "WWJD" in the American Sign Language alphabet--just a little nod to Marlee and the beautiful culture that produced her.

Cool, Warm, and Hot

I can imagine this look working well for more of a Christmas on the town with friends. Anyone for a rum punch? Haha, just kidding. Do people still drink those? Anyway, this outfit is a little wild with the sequined top, leopard print, and leather jacket, but it also has an element of girl-next-door glam. I mean, you're wearing jeans and a bow on your head. How much more normal can you get? If you're going to be bar-hopping around Christmastime, make sure to layer up. Those clubs can get very warm and the walks between them can get very cold.

Sugarplum Fairy!

This outfit is arguably the most fun of the four if only because it is just plain fun to dress up. What is the most upscale shindig you'll be attending this Christmas? Does your school has a winter ball? Will you be attending a ballet? I highly recommend George Balanchine's adaptation of The Nutcracker. At any rate, blue satin is an infinitely glamorous option and has such a wintery vibe. Start with a simple sweetheart-topped dress, add some romantic sparkly jewelry and a glittering pair of statement heels to modernize your look, and you'll have every eye at the event on you. Also, (sorry if this sounds dumb) wear a coat. Be smart even if wherever you're headed will be heated.

Like a Pro

 Some more professional holiday environments may call for a bit more power suit style. Trousers and a fitted blazer will provide all the professionalism you need, but keep it fun with a sequined top and classy costume jewelry. Also, more blue satin would be nice . . . sky-high shoes, anyone? ;-)

Obviously, there are so many great to ways to crash a Christmas party as far as fashion is concerned, but these looks are the ones that jumped into my mind because of the inspiration from the picture of the beautiful Marlee Matlin.

Here's wishing you, Marlee, and everyone else a very merry Christmas season!

ASL to OneRepublic's "Marchin' On"

This is from homecoming weekend's Saturday Night Live! event on Roberts campus. The video quality is poor, but I think that the performance turned out quite well, if I do say so myself.

Funny little story: In my anxiousness before going onstage, I forget one of the signs to the song. I ask my friend Sean to look it up on his smartphone, but my usual video dictionary won't play, so he hands me his phone and his coffee and turns to the girl next to him.

"Sign for 'prove'?" he says IN ASL!

First of all, Sean can sign a little. Win! Secondly, the girl he'd been talking to before I showed up just happened to be deaf. She was super sweet and happy to help me out. I ended up signing "We'll have the scars to show it" rather than "prove it." She said it made more sense in context.

I hope you enjoy.

As those of you who have been following the blog know, the diagnosis I'm talking about is that of IC, insterstitial cystitis. What you may not know is the identities of the family and friends I am talking about in the video's dedication. While these names may mean nothing to you, I hope that knowing the impact they have had in my life will mean something to them.

So thank you, Josh, Rachel, Mom, Sean, Paige, and Ali. You all reminded me where my hope and comfort lies. I'm honored to continue marching through life with all of you.

"Go ahead, march on." 2 Samuel 15:22

My ASL Story

I'm such a dork, but I was so excited about the encounter that I describe in this video that I had to share--in sign language, no less.

Here's a transcript of what I'm saying:

"Hi, I want to tell you a story.

I learned to sign to music for church and school a long time ago, but I've never signed a conversation with a deaf person. Why? Because I'm scared! When I'm around people who are deaf and they're all signing to each other, I freeze! I feel shy and embarrassed. My signing is slow. It's bad. I try to sign, but I blush and shake, and I forget all of the sign language I know.

Anyway, last week, I visited a church with my husband. I was looking around for a place to sit, and I saw a woman signing. She was interpreting church for her husband. I said 'hi,' and we started talking. I told her about my fear of signing with deaf people. She said that I needed to meet her husband because I know sign language. I said 'okay.'

All of a sudden, there was a deaf man right in front of me! I started shaking and my face turned red, but he said (well, he signed) 'hi.' So I signed 'hi, my name is Jessi." His name was Troy. Easy, right? I signed that I go to Roberts Wesleyan College where I study English and Communications. (My signing was bad. His wife helped interpret for me.)

We 'talked,' and he was so nice! He was polite and smiling--so happy that I was trying to sign. He made me happy, too.

I hope that now my fear is gone."

I suppose I just reached a point where I asked myself why I wanted to learn sign language so badly. When I truthfully answered myself that it was because I enjoyed signing for audiences the way I enjoyed acting and other forms of performance art, I didn't really like that answer. It seemed selfish. I needed to reexamine my motives.

Yes, sign language is one of the most beautiful forms of communication known to man, but to some people, it is their only form of communication. It is the only way that they can connect with the world.

I want to be a part of that world that they can connect with.

On a subconscious level, I think that learning sign language has always been a way for me to expand the audience of people I am able to reach through art. I want to be able to speak to the hearts of more than just the people who can hear or read the words I say--the pictures I want to be able to paint with words. I want to be able to speak to the hearts of people who can only see the pictures I paint with my hands.

Thanks for your help, Troy :-)

ASL to Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" (Uncensored)

Messiah College's Homecoming Coffeehouse a few years ago

You may not know this, but I am proficient (note I don't say "fluent") in American Sign Language. I am always quick to follow up that statement with the fact that  I am actually quite petrified of attempting to carry on signed conversations with members of the deaf community. What if they make fun of me?

I know. I'm pathetic.

What I am good at, however, is interpreting songs into ASL. I perform at coffee houses, church and school events, and even weddings lately. This is one of my greatest passions and talents and probably should have appeared on my blog sooner.

When I saw this video on a deaf and hard-of-hearing blog, I knew I had to share to introduce to my audience what is possible with signed musical interpretations! This girl has talent. Now, I try to avoid swearing as much as is humanly possible, so rather than post the actual video on my blog, I've just provided the Youtube link:

F*** You ASL Performance

She is on fiy-ah! I love how she starts out looking all sweet and then she pulls out bucketloads of attitude. I am so impressed. (She is way better than me, for the record) This is her final for a college ASL course. I feel so sorry for the person who presented after her . . .

Anyway, look forward to more ASL-related posts in the future now that I have acclimated you all to this unique art form.