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Dirty Girl Construction
Joan Barton is the founder and owner of Dirty Girl Construction.
PROFILE
Joan Barton
Guest
FROM Joan Barton
Design and Architecture
Women's fashion and the male gaze Examples of modest fashion in high design (L-R) Céline, Rennes, Creatures of Comfort Should women consider their clothing choices when working in the world of men? That's been one of the many heated topics raised by the current debate surrounding sexual harassment. Gymnast Gabby Douglas, fashion designer Donna Karan and Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik all managed to enrage many women recently, when they suggested they might consider the wisdom of wearing highly provocative clothing. But clothing projects a message, and this DnA explores the semiotics of dress in the worlds of design and fashion - and how women "manage male expectations" while being fearlessly themselves. Joan Barton, contractor with Dirty Girl Construction, explains why she won't dress to impress for the building site. It's all about setting a "tone for your goal." Writer Naomi Fry talks about affluent young city women who are dressing down, in costly and unflattering garb that evokes religious cults, designed by likes of design Celine, Rachel Comey, Number Six and Maria Cornejo. She ponders whether this trend is about averting the male gaze or a "humblebrag" by attractive young women who can put the proverbial "sack over their heads" and still look gorgeous. Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter, dean of Woodbury University's School of Architecture, tells DnA how women architects staked a position in the profession in equal-opportunity power suits and now have the freedom to dress in idiosyncratic outfits that express a "total design philosophy." And they don't have to be black. She talks about architects' love of detail, a word rooted in the French word for tailoring, and how this expresses itself in designs with unusual profiles that are not necessarily about "form hugging" but about "showcasing an artistry and craft."
Design and Architecture
Dirty Girl Construction's Joan Barton Joan Barton, founder and owner of Dirty Girl Construction, Inc. Photo by Frances Anderton If you've ever tried to build a house in Los Angeles, you'll know there can be lots of challenges: permits, unanticipated costs, struggles between builders, designers and the client. But building sounds like smooth sailing when you talk to Joan Barton, contractor and owner of her own company, Dirty Girl Construction . Barton, who came up with the saucy name because "I was always filthy," is one of very few women contractors in LA and specializes in boutique stores and high-end homes for clients in the entertainment industry and overseas. DnA visited Barton in her firm's new offices in Inglewood and talked to her about how she transitioned to construction from a career in music; about blazing a path in a man's field; and about getting through the bureaucratic bottle jam at the city of Los Angeles in the midst of a construction boom as well as code changes relating to limiting mansionization and creating granny flats. We also talked about the current firestorm: sexual harassment. What's the solution, we pondered: to publicly shame or to axe all men for all infractions, ranging from horrifying to creepy to over-exuberant flirting? And what can women do to protect themselves? Joan Barton shares lessons in empowerment and forgiveness learned from life and work experience -- and tells the story of what happened when she fell for a male employee!
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