The hand shape grabbing my head is:
a) "Thing" from the Addam's Family
b) a fascinator
c) an avant-garde cell phone
d) a ghostly apparition visible only in photographs
e) half an oversized earmuff
f) SERIOUS FASHION
g) my inhumanly tall contortionist manservant trying to get me to spit out a mouthful of chocolates.
("No! No! You can't make me!" I scream in reply.)
The answer is of course (f). That's my own hand in a pose made famous by Miz Bagg in her How-to Guide to Posing, Part 2, 8-track Cassette, sequel to Posing 101.In fact, I am so seriously fashionable here that I sucked in my cheeks and now you can see all my wrinkles. I'm fired! Better yet, my photographer, lighting director, gaffer (just like the word), and makeup artist are fired.
The director wasn't sure she was going to cast me in this video because I'm such a lightweight when it comes to heavyduty fashion, but I bribed her with treats and flattery. What a pushover - shallow, shallow. So sad. Video guest stars are Isaac and April, excellent humans who also agree that fashion is serious.
Biba-bah-loo-bah, I love my new Biba dress. Such a label whore I am - it's only to be expected, being so ultra-fashionable. I strolled by the dress in the local thrift shop and thought, oh, cute dress, love the sparklies. I pulled in for a closer look and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the label. Biba? $12? Mine. I layered her up good and proper - where did this cold weather come from? Note the extra socks. I feel like owning a Biba dress is a rite of passage, thanks to Curtise and Vix and others.
DETAILS
thrifted BIBA dress, heh
thrifted vintage red lace slip (oooh!)
mustard tights with sparkle gold ankle socks
thrifted D&G shoes
thrifted powder blue beret
thrifted vintage R coat
polka-dot scarf, retail
magic loupe
and a few odds and ends, tool bag handbag, brocade bag, vintage wristwatch, cashmere mitts (gift)...
A few video scenes feature this dress with black tights, my frump shoes, and a green beret. I recorded my voice track for the video in a concrete stair cave. Awesome natural reverb. That space is MINE now.
Gratuitous closeup. The label is a bit plain compared to so many Biba labels I've seen.
Please don't tell me this is a knock-off. It's UK sizing.
I'm linking this up to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. Now I'm the owner of a Brit label I look forward even more to this fortnightly event. See you there?
Remember, Fashion IS SERIOUS. Bwa-ha-ha!!!!
Seriously SERIOUS fashion going on here. And you are in the Biba club now, and for a song. So fabulous! Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Melanie. You look great! Loved seeing your dancing leopard shied feet in the video!
ReplyDeleteThe dress is a beauty, but.... I am not sure it's a real Biba. I know, I hate myself for saying it. But the label isn't lime the vintage Biba labels, which were black and gold; some were white, I think, but they all had the characteristic Deco-ish design on them. The company has been relaunched, I believe, so it could possibly be one of their new pieces? Others (Vix in particular) will know, I'm sure.
But hey - although we take Fashion Very Seriously, we also wear what we love and to hell with the label, right? And if you can do the Wraparound Hand pose, you are Fashion, baby, and don't you forget it! xxxxxx
So many autocorrected errors...
ReplyDeleteShoed, not shied.
Like, not lime.
Bloody iPad. Seriously.... xxxxx
Love that dress, and loved it even before I saw the label -- truly!
ReplyDeleteAlso have always been a fan of the word "gaffer." Have always wondered if I'd ever meet anyone who could write that down for Occupation. . . .And now I sort of have, right? Well, I know someone who fired a fictional one in a fictional scenario -- that might be even better, certainly!
So true, it is way too serious but you make it fun! I love this dress with the golden legs. You do look exquisite!
ReplyDeleteblue hue wonderland
seriously, Melanie, I want to be you. I want to be you in your videos. so cute. the dress is an absolute GEM FOR that $$$? And not to sound fashionably DUMB, BUT isnt BIBA, an anachronism for Back in Boston Again???? I mean, I am in Boston afterall. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh!
ReplyDeleteI want a manservant to offer to hold my partially digested chocolates. Must you have all the fun?
LOve the design on the dress.
bisous
Suzanne
BTW…someone should make a phone that looks like this!
ReplyDeletebisous
Suzanne
omg i love that video, that's hysterical! you look wonderful x
ReplyDeleteYou look seriously amazing in that Biba dress. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteSo there's a job opening to be your gaffer? Where should I send my resume? Am I allowed to work in Canada? Am I fashionable enough? Am I too non-serious, because I can change, I promise. I can spell Beeba and Burberrie and Gloria Vanderblat, and I would be happy to tell your freakish manservant to let you have your chocolates. A talent like yours must be indulged. What is wrong with him?
ReplyDeleteI want to put that video on a loop so it will play again and again for an entire fortnight!
yeah, serious.
ReplyDeleteBTW, a gaffer is an electrician.
Wonderful Biba dress, what a great find. Dahlink, you ARE Fashion™.
ReplyDeleteSeriously FABULOUS is what you are!! You are rocking the Biba dress in such a FASHUN way!!!
ReplyDeleteFashion is sirius, I so agree.
ReplyDeleteWhat is this label you call Biba? I've yet to discover it.
SRS Melanie is SRS.
ReplyDeleteI tried sucking in my cheeks to look like a Diesel model, once. I almost choked. >.<
Congratulations on your fancy thrift find! I love those moments, and the cackling that ensues all the way home.
The dress looks like it was made with you in mind. I love your "styling" too, with the scarf and coat. Another fashion triumph.
ReplyDeleteposing is exhausting!! I'm not trained yet for the 'sucky in cheek pose', or the 'hand shape wraparound', I'm such an amateur!!! I love your videos more than chocolate (which is loads!!) and I know nothing about vintage labels, I just know you are AWESOME!!!!! x x x
ReplyDeleteDid someone push a body out of that white car? Are you on the case? Perhaps the victim did not take fashion seriously ... if not, they deserve everything they got. I'm digging out my frump shoes ... I'm your self-appointed deputy. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox
ReplyDeleteWonderful dress, tight, inspiration and YOU, PURE ART EVERY SINGLE TIME, DEAR mELANIE, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
ReplyDeleteXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Serious - you? Seriously! I'm falling about laughing. PLEASE never go serious on us.
ReplyDeleteSorry Mel, that's a popular Indian brand of the same name and absolutely nothing to do with Barbara Hulanicki.
ReplyDeleteFabulous nonetheless. x
I would love a fascinator that looks like a gloved hand wrapping around my head - please add that to your list of upcoming art projects, please???
ReplyDeleteYes, Fashion is a deadly serious business, all those sweatshops, design knockoffs, overpriced clothing and advertising making women feel bad about themselves - BLECH! Style, on the other hand, is liberating, and joyful and empowering, and you got it by the truckload, my wonderful friend. I so want to do a video with you sometime.
XO
Allo Mélanie !
ReplyDeleteI'm no fashion expert but i saw the label i too thought like the fabulous UK Ladies that it was not a real Biba!
Nonetheless, the dress is real cute -
Yes fashion is frecking serious-
I take it seriously - I suck my jaws in too take a deap breath and to my glorious catwalk, hahaha!
Hugs
Arianexo
I'm starting to visit your blog for much needed pick-me-ups and some giggles...it's my new favorite fix! But don't worry...I am here to SERIOUSLY contemplate fashion...no messing about!
ReplyDeleteLove your new score...and am hopelessly jealous and green about your outrageous style and presence! I want me some!
Great! Red and white dress - yellow tights - leopard skin heels. That's a combo that I love. Yesss!
ReplyDeleteForgot to say that the video is a stunner!
ReplyDeleteHeehee I was deeply struck by your serious fashion, it doesn't get more high powered or po-faced than that. Oooooh to the Biba worn gorgeously with yellow legs, aaaah to the fabulous video. All SO SERIOUS!
ReplyDeleteI love that BIBA dress. It's beautiful and you wear it well. What a great find.
ReplyDeleteha! you are so funny. love your photos.
ReplyDeleteHello Dear One!!!! Yes, suck in those cheeks, please, for the obligatory look. The colors are trumping everything here, interesting (dare I say) pastels ?!! Light, at any rate. Your hair shines, and your icy eyes gleam, and your video should go viral. Fashion is indeed serious, and you're the perfect ambassadoress. Yes, it's time for a new word and a new reALITY. Ta Da...!!!!!!!! XXXOOO
ReplyDeleteOne cannot take ones fashion seriously enough. No. Glad to see you have learned this most serious of life lessons.
ReplyDeleteWowee-zowie, Little White Cat ... love, love, love your Biba dress ... it's really perfect for you! Great with your mustardy tights and leopard shoes. All this and a video,too!
So happy to see you!
A fascinator! Can I scream Hat Attack? I think so, especially when accompanied by a powder blue beret.
ReplyDeleteSo excited to see that you added guest stars to your video. They have serious talent! Like you.
GAK! Now you're a rock star! Really enjoyed your video this week, your voice-over, your costars...all good! Great, great find with the dress!
ReplyDeleteSERIOUSLY . . . I love, love, love all the fun you have with fashion.
ReplyDeleteAnd, why not, right!
It is indeed a very geautiful dress. Cold (cotton) but really nice. Suits you very well.
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh again with your pist. Thanks for that.
Greetje
Here I was hoping that you and Thing fell madly in love...darn!
ReplyDeleteI got a dress from ebay a while ago with a similar tag. It was too big for me though, more like a khaftan thing.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, although it's not Biba for realsies it's still cute :)
'Thing' from The Addam's Family seems to be a nice companion!, mwahahaha, you make fashion seriously funny!, and you're really my favorite video artist!, your dancing little leopard shoes and your voice!!, oh so serious!!
ReplyDeletebesos
Talking about spelling checker.... I have to re-read my comments before I am posting them.... tssss.
ReplyDeleteGreetje
Fashion is truly a serious business, seriously, uhaa. Biba original / Biba fake - what the heck?
ReplyDeleteAnna
Anna's Island Style