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Thursday 5 February 2015

Hat Attack! and How to clean your faux fur

Uh-oh, it's the concrete box studio again. That can only mean one thing...
I've washed my hands of the whole "sophisticated-look/get-more-Followers" drive of my previous post. It lasted a day, which in terms of my resolve, is pretty good. Plus, if I stuck to those rules, how would I possibly be able to bring you THIS outfit? So many shaggy bits. (I'm happy to see from the previous comments that many of you are/have been liberally exercising your right to shag!)

Check out those sparklers on my head, courtesy of AMAZING FABULOUS BELLA, The Citizen Rosebud, who sent me this beret waaay back. It's perfect for Hat Attack 19 with Judith and her style mavericks over at Style Crone. Did you see Bella at Sylvia's 40PlusStyle, 40 Most Stylish Midlife Women on Instagram? You must, and everyone else there too, not to mention the lineup of fabulous women featured on Buzzfeed earlier in the week here, 15 Amazing Senior Style Instagrammers; Judith is there too.
Note to self: I am not a cat. Stop grooming the faux fur. Hairballs stain carpet.
And I had a vow to swear off thrifting - it lasted two days. I should have included fine print: no walking past thrift stores. When I saw this coat through the window on a rack in the darkest corner (not kidding), what could I do? Let it go home with a smug young fashionista who'd buy it as a great joke coat for a party? Or go home with me, a smug Melstrom wise in the knowledge that daily life is a party, albeit hosted by David Lynch.
The knit maxi skirt with pearl button embellishment I got from the 5-buck rack at a thrift shop a couple weeks ago. That's an old thrifted putrid lime-green blouse and my thrifted silk velvet scarf. I like the variety of textures/patterns, but next time I'll wear something short or fitted with the coat, maybe my Moschino hotpants with my '60s paisley tights. 

If you're a new Follower, thank you for signing up. Boot camp is just beginning, and shoe camp, and high camp... Wait, wait, come baaaaack! 

About cleaning faux fur: My shaggy green faux fur coat, seen well here, needed a full-on tongue bath(!) but not being up to the challenge and refusing to have it dry cleaned, as it instructs, I ran it on a cold gentle cycle in the wash, spun dry (I have a separate special spinner for that), then tumbled dry. The coat came out springtime fresh. I couldn't imagine walking around with all those dry cleaning chemicals seething in the fibres. This method worked for me but if you're unsure, dry cleaning (or tongue bath, if you don't mind hairballs) would still be your safest option.

An elderly man came up to me in the coffee shop while I was wearing this coat. He asked, "How many muskrats did it take to make that?" I calmly replied, "A dozen. And they were not muskrats, they were muppets." I smiled, winked, and left him laughing. What would you have done?

27 comments:

  1. You almost lasted two days! No-one with a molecule of style could have left that coat handing in the window. You look ravishing as ever, and I totally agree about dry cleaning - I wash everything save for Sandy's suit jacket. xox

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  2. Thank goodness you got that coat!!!!! Lolzzzz at the old dude---good comeback :D

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  3. It's a Muppetastic coat! Seriously, though, it's just too good to have passed up.

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  4. Your exchange with the man made me smile!! You made his day, you know!

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  5. You are muppetastic! Reminds me, my kids call me a muppet when I wear my orange tights.
    Nothing like faux fur (ph-pho-phr) sorry, hair on my lips.
    So warm and snuggly. I need a long one! Now! In Summer! I always get patted. Glad the man in the cafe didn't pat you!
    Love that silk velvet scarf...also patworthy.
    Stay exactly as you are...too many clones out there. We need someone to show us the way to letting our hair down and being shaggerific! (If one had hair of course!)xo JJ

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  6. Melanie, your posts always put a smile on my face. I absolutely love your energy and zest for life.
    I like your sharp wit too . . . I think you made a new friend with your elderly man encounter :)
    Keep Smiling,
    Connie :)

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  7. Oh that's better. Step away from the grey and into the world of thrifted muppets, beautiful textures and colours, beads and sequins. Mel's back! I'm so glad you broke your vow and saw sense, it would have been a crime for that coat to go to anyone but you.
    I bet you made that elderly bloke's day. I might have suggested the coat was made from the very rare faux muskrat, a timid creature and possibly (as a result of this coat) now extinct. Mea culpa. But mea ever so warm. xxx

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  8. The coat looks great on you! Thank you for the good advice about washing faux fur because dry cleaning is so expensive.

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  9. hahahahaha...."they were muppets" hahaha. If I had been with you I would have laughed so loud the windows would have cracked. Glad you saved the coat from such a grimm faith as being mocked.
    Greetje

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  10. Your entire post made me laugh, but "tongue bath" and the mental images it brought to life really had me laughing uproariously. Not only are you witty; you are so very kind. Thank you for the mention and for sharing your sparkly hat from Bella with Hat Attack.

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  11. It's unfair. Tall women (I know one) never looks cozy in large vests, cardigans and similar. Hrmpf

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  12. pet, pet, pet the furry lady. The coat thanks you for rescuing it from hipster hell

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  13. That gentleman will be telling your Muppets story for weeks! The coat is quite an amazing dream coat, although not technicolor. What caught my eye, though, is the skirt. It's really quite a statement of hard work getting all those chevrons and pearls in place - it deserves more attention! (Are the pearls irritating when you sit down?)

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  14. You look completely fabulous!

    "A dozen. And they were not muskrats, they were muppets."

    Ha! I'll have to remember this ^^

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  15. Muppet fur, I love it! But I'm still reeling from the mental image of tongue baths and fur balls. Ewwwwww! Of course I live with 4 cats so both are par for the course around here. I do love the mixture of textures, patterns, and colors in this outfit. Very stimulating!

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  16. VAL: Alas and thank goodness, the pearls are only on the front.

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  17. The SKIRT! I'm with Val! The skirt is the schtar of the show for me! Of course, I'd have to wear it up around my chin in order to avoid floor dusting, or the greater evil...water wicking on the streets of Vancouver.

    You look fab, and you ARE fab! I can see your faux fur with your tuxedo pants!

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  18. Yay, another cryptozoological coat!

    I would have told him it was made of various toupees, collected in the field :)

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  19. TILDA: Bwahahaha! I'll remember that come-back for next time...

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  20. First I must say that I loved your answer to that old man! You must be a little bit cheeky when someone makes weird comments to you. I get that all the time!
    Your coat is fantastic and I am glad that you decided to go back to thrifting!

    Rebecca
    www.winnipegstyle.ca

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  21. HA! You had been my inspiration to declare February my "no thrifting" month, and now I see you weakened! I can't say as a blame you - the coat is rather fab, and of course, anyone with a keen eye could see that it was made with the fur of the elusive Muppetous Fauxfurious, which is rarely seen in these parts.

    I'm all agog at the skirt!! Best $5 purchase ever.

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  22. You did perfectly with the elderly man. I am not sure I would have been so witty as quickly but it might depend on if I had finished my coffee or not. I have made similar plans for a more stylish blog, more stylish me and also no more thrift shopping. Hah! All were as short-lived as yours. You must continue to be you and I will continue to be me and that is how the universe has arranged it. You don't want to mess with the universe, the same universe that brought you to the fabulous Muppet coat. xoxo

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  23. wow, good for you. I don't think I could have handled the whole muskrat thing as well as you. It probably would have hurt my feelings and I would go home and cry a little and then never wear it again. (I can be a real wimp sometimes).

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  24. I love the muskrat/muppet coat! I am often annoyed at people who feel the need for those kind of comments. Really? Pish off!

    That skirt is ringing my bell - it is stunning on you!

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  25. hurrah for concrete walls, cute berets and furry coats that can be washed!! everything is highly fabulous!!, and love all those mixed textures and attitude!!
    besos

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  26. I always wondered how it worked for women that had boobs too small to squish.

    My experience was okay...it was finding out that I had to go back then then have ultrasounds that was much worse. Lucky for me nothing came of it.

    You must have knocked everyone on their asses with this fabulous ensemble!

    bisous
    Suzanne

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