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Sunday 5 May 2013

My big man pants

My biggest fear with these pants was that people might try to throw garbage down them.


My big man pants - so big I don't have to unzip them to put them on. I love them. But I needed to find a way of keeping them up with minimal sewing. My solution: thrifted vintage suspenders (braces) and silver studs with a cross motif. The studs were tricky to hammer on because the waistband fabric was multilayered. To keep up the cuffs, I made black leather tabs using the suspender tabs as a pattern and whacked in more studs, four on one leg, two on the other (I ran out of studs, minor detail).

When I wore this outfit for the first time this morning, I had on heavy-duty black army boots for a Charlie Chaplin air, but I chose these lighter flats for an early evening stroll with O. He took this photo.
(ed. note: I wore this on Friday. I wore the big hat in the earlier post on Thursday.)
Details
men's big dress pants, wool, free from time-sealed treasure chest, upcycled
under-pant black jeggings, sample sale
vintage suspenders, thrifted
2 long-sleeved T-shirts, retail
sweater, thrifted, shortened and kittified
beret, thrifted
vintage sunglasses, thrifted
tool box handbag and magic loupe, from O
shoes, retail

These pants would also be ideal for an all-you-can-eat buffet because the legs would hold several days' worth of food, although getting home might be troublesome.

I'm hooking this up to Patti's fabulous Visible Monday. Finally, I'm on time for this one.
Do you have sewing shortcut secrets? How do you hoist, pinch, and tuck? Or perhaps you are skilled with needle and thread, all the better! See you at Patti's. I hope you have a wonderful week.

On another note, Miz Bagg went out with Sandra on the weekend for a photo shoot and we took some wretched photos, a few truly hideous ones, which made the outing so incredibly satisfying. It's the permission we give ourselves to fail miserably and be humiliated that makes it fun and gives us quite a laugh. If you're wondering about submitting to VOGOFF, remember, there are no mistakes. Some of the best photos are mementos of the greatest flops. Don't think too much!


46 comments:

  1. Quote du jour, #1: "there are no mistakes". And #2: "Don't think too much." That should do me for the week : >

    Love these enormous trousers, and your clever ways of keeping them on you. And it's great to see the existential kitty again. Thanks for linking up xoxoxo

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  2. Throw garbage in your pants! Hahaha! I don't think anyone would dare! My fav trousers are men's trouser's. My dad's old high waisted plaid bells :)
    I am terrible at sewing and yet I do it all the time. Usually whipstitching and always by hand. It's not couture, but I get the job done!
    Becky

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  3. Gosh, those pants remind of when I stole (erm, liberated) my dad's old pants from his closet in 1984 and turned them into trendy paper-bag waist trousers. Love your stunning creativity here!

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  4. Melanie.... you my dear... are one of my favorite fashion designers... in the truest sense of the word.

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  5. I have lots of mementos of great flops...LOL. Or something like that.

    I do think you'll need to add drawstrings at the bottom of your trousers to create the most effective food storage containment system for buffets. I think Belgian waffles would feel delightful stuff down me own trews :D

    You're are impeccably put together as always. I also long for your kitty sweater as always!

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  6. Damn Girl. You just keep knocking it out of the park. I NEED a pair of pants like that.

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  7. Great pants and there is that adorable sweater.

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  8. I had no idea how incredibly awesome big man pants could be. You make everything tres chic.

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  9. Love the old man pants and braces, and your genius adaption technique. I've been known to use duct tape or staples to hold a hem up, but don't tell anyone! xxx

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  10. fabulous as ever! your style is awesome and it's quite reassuringly comforting to know you take some shocking photos as well...although you do realise i don't really believe you don't you x

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  11. love your huge chaplinesque pants and your suspenders!, love that you've made them work adding that studs, such a great idea!
    and also love that crazy cute cat pullover!
    besos

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  12. Oh Buffet pants are fabulous and super suspended beautifully. I think this look is truly wonderful, especially with the WHY jumper.
    My favourite quick fix and change for a wear, are the always reliable safety pins.....arrh yes the many a sneaky alteration has been made with them.
    You are always an inspiration Melanie.
    Love V

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  13. The old man's pants and suspenders are great, Melanie - I love how you've made the outfit so whimsical with the cropped kitty sweater. :) Yes, if everything were perfect all the time, I imagine we'd be pretty boring and self-satisfied! Failure helps us grow and prevents us from taking ourselves to seriously, methinks. Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing all the amazingly imperfect-perfect VOGOFF photo shoots! Xoxo

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  14. I love that style on you Mel, looks fantastic. Big trews and suspenders are such a classic.

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  15. Now I cant stop singing Baggy Trousers by Madness. Just love your get-up, Melanie. The kittified sweater, well, what can i say? Meow!

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  16. When a was young the Mexican guys on the block used to wear oversized khakis. They would wear a belt but miss one of the loop in front, the waist of the pants would then fit their waist but have a big pleat down the front. It looked really cool. Sewing short cut? Moi? Big assed safety pins from the inside so they don't show on stage.

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  17. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!!

    I so like this look of u!
    I would wear that too :D

    You look like someone comes from a cartoon story !

    Ben

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  18. Obviously you look amazing in huuuuuge pants. Another work of art. You rock braces always. Love the girly jumper with masculine trousers and studs xxxx

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  19. I could never wear this outfit but it works for you! The alterations you made to the trousers are genius! I can't sew a stitch but I have a fabulous tailor and I'm looking right at a stack of clothes to be altered very soon! ;-)

    Spashionista (Alicia)

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  20. Those pants are something out of my dreams. I so wish I could pull off this look. I love how you kittified the sweater!

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  21. very nice! would you like to follow each other in gfc and bloglovin? let me know!

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  22. My sewing secret is my seamstress!

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  23. Oh! Those pants are so cool! I love the suspenders peeking out from under the sweater!! Echoing the other Megan, I wish I could pull this look off.

    I have no sewing secrets other than patience. If I work with patience, my projects turn out well. If I don't, they usually end up in the bin.

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  24. Oh this is genius, Melanie! You are rocking the old man's pants and braces look, I love it! And of course it's lovely to see the WI kitty enjoying an outing too.
    Most of my Vogoff shoot pics are inusable, due to the fact that I am roaring with laughter in most of them. Which is great, but certainly not High Fashion Bitch Face... Don't worry, though, my styling team were fired afterwards for their dismal performance, and I have salvaged a couple of shots for Miz Bagg's consideration. Failing with aplomb - I like that! xxxx

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  25. oh melanie. i love this outfit. those trousers are amazing. the whole outfit is stunning. i love every outfit you wear.

    i did my photo shoot today but it turned out completely wrong . i'm going to read the brief and try again.

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  26. Your problem solving capabilities are brilliant. What will you think up next? I can hardly wait.

    I haven't done any sewing in years, but I do know how to change up a hat in just a few minutes.

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  27. Dude, now you really are the crazy lady from down the street! Or you've just created a great way to get a refreshing breeze down your, well, down your pants. This is fucking awesome!

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  28. What a cool hemming idea!
    And the outfit is just hilariously sweet and quirky! Love it.

    xx juli
    fragmentsofmyclothing.blogspot.com

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  29. Hahaha @ throwing gabbabe in them. You're the craziest:), funniest, and most brilliant person ever! How do you come up with these stuffs! This post is so inspiring - got ideas already!

    xx
    5th&6th

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  30. OMG, it's the GIANT PANTS!! Run for your lives!!! You do look like a modern version of the little tramp. There should be a piano soundtrack following you.

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  31. Your solution with the pant hems must stand with the MOST Astonishing and Brilliant Ideas of the Early 21st Century. I mean it. I'm calling the awards committee today.
    The suspenders are just icing on the cake.
    And, you know I love the white kitty sweater.

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  32. Genius--just genius!! The outfit is just adorable and your cuffing solution is one I may steal!!!

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  33. Awesome re-fit Melanie. Annie Hall would be inspired by you. So nice to see knittified sweater again. That kitty is adorable.

    Sue xo

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  34. Brilliant in your black and whiteness - the big man pants today, the mystery woman last time. Proving anything goes on you when you do it. I love that kitty drawn sweater redo. And big pants are always beautiful, but suspending them are even bettah, bettah, bettah...

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  35. Ahhhh. Giant pants. That's what Amber calls them. I'm a fan as well. Love your iteration. How lovely to have photographers at your beck and call. :-) If I can get my daughter to pull the trigger, I might be able to send in a few shots. I hope so.

    Love you immensely and am always enthralled with your glorious visual creativity.

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  36. The giant trews are great but I am coveting your jumper even more. I have a large hoard of safety pins, which I use for quick alterations. M x

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  37. Better trash than random people sticking their hands down your pants:) This is so weird I like it. I want some man pants now! I think you can rock this because your well you! Every time I see this sweater too it makes me smile! When do we see your sweet $37 pair of shoes eh :0)
    XXOO

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  38. Ugh, YOU INSPIRE ME SO!!!!! now I must get unpacked and go through my glorious thrifties...
    I LOVE men's dress pants!!! They are so cool on women and you are rockin those babies!!!
    I must know how u did the kitty sweater? plain ole criss-cross stitches? I did embroidery in high school.....
    I drool over this sweater.
    God I love you...but in a tender, girly way.... :)
    hugs
    Reva

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  39. These are awesome! I love how you break rules and play around with proportion... and how the end result is always so aesthetically pleasing. After all, you are an artist :)

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  40. Love the doggie? on the pullover.

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  41. Sorry I'm so late commenting here Melanie, I'm so far behind with my blog reading and going backwards through everyone's posts to catch up. I really do love this outfit, you look like you could be a great film director from the 20's or 30's I think, with a megaphone. I love old men's trousers and braces on men and women. I also love your philosophy at the end of this post. Most or all of my attempts at outfit posts have been magnificent failures but I've had a good laugh doing them. xx

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  42. Just came across you blog, wanted to say I absolutely LOVE IT! You are fabulous.

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  43. Yes and yes and then yes and again with the yes. Amazing. Fabularse. Spectacular. So much style and humour and inspiration and love and attention to detail in every spectacular outfit. Shut up. I'm not in love.

    You are.

    Sarah xxx

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