Ms. Swanson, you ready for your close-up yet?!

Buy it? Leave it? Buy it? Leave it? It wasn't the price that was a concern but the afternoon of intensive laundering, refashioning, mending, and pressing I knew I would have to invest to transform this paisley men's dressing gown into the perfect silky over-gown for chilly spring mornings. But invest I did.

The repositioning of the sash, parts of which I sewed permanently into place at hip height on the front, is probably the most visible evidence of the makeover. I also handstitched part of the sash across the back at hip height to add visual interest.

There was such a deliciously feminine swish to the piece as I strode down the sidewalk - it's silky after all and there was a fresh green breeze. At the same time, the powerful spiritual residue of the previous owner had me wanting to chomp a cigar and flick ashes with abandon, gulp brandy from a crystal snifter, bark out dirty jokes, laugh at nothing in particular in a big throaty, raspy laugh, and devour a chili cheese dog. With the addition of the beret I confess to feeling like a twenties film director/mogul, a refined brute. All I would need to complete the image is a megaphone. And I'd like to carry a riding crop too, although I have Grushenka, my magic wand somewhere...

Details:

• maxi men's silky dressing gown with fringe-tipped sash, thrifted, $9
• stovepipe low-rider jeans under the over-gown, sample sale
• Miu Miu brown crackle leather boots, thrifted
• white long-sleeved V-neck cotton top/long-sleeved T under the V-neck/camisole, sample sale/retail
• men's tie, thrifted
• cotton gloves, retail, Canadian Tire, decapped and hemmed by me
• magic loupe, from O
• tool box handbag, from O
• sunglasses, vintage, thrifted
• wool beret, thrifted

QUIET ON THE SET. AC-tion! CUT! Cut!!

Let's do it again. But how about a little FEELING this time. Got it? Whaddya think I'm payin' ya's for, huh?

I hope you are all well. Your posts continue to inspire on a daily basis. Thank you so much!

When I go out, I often catch glimpses in a crowd of fellow bloggers continents away - a familiar profile here, a silhouette there, a pattern, a colour. I know these are shadows of yourselves but I can't help but wonder if they are also secret hellos dropped down magically from the cosmos. If they are, I hope you catch a glimpses of me too. Do you ever see bloggers from around the world wandering your streets?

Don't forget to send me your VOGOFF submissions. Deadline May 19. See sidebar link for details.

The '20s dress

Don't speak to me. I'm from another era. I'm cra-cra.*

Yup.

Uh-huh.

Time-warping between past and present. 3D-style. Close then far.

But time stands still for these shoes.

*Cra-cra, pronounced cray-cray, is an abbreviated form of the word crazy, popular among hip urban youth in the early 21st century.

Details

• swingy polka-dot blue dress with tie at the neck, thrifted, purchased the day I was stranded with only my stiff nylon car blanket covered in leaves as a coat in the rain and that guy said he liked my style
• black tights, remains from an Egyptian tomb but mysteriously made with kryptonotic elastic
• patent black leather shoes with strap, thrifted
• R coat, thrifted
• felt cloche with flower, retail, from the shop at the archeological site mentioned above
• magic loupe, handmade gift of love 
• ghost-on-a-swing pendant, friend

Unexpected deadlines means no Visible Monday for me, but I must still SEND YOU to Patti's place at Not Dead Yet Style for if you haven't been already to ogle all the other specimens of early 21st century beauty. Go, GO NOW! Quickly!

Join me for a dirty martini at the Stork, won't you?

Roddy picked me up after my show at the Stork Club in his new black Bugatti. Really, I haven't seen him so giddy since he recounted his night of debauchery with Rudolph Valentino in Palm Beach! I was afraid they wouldn't have the car ready for his birthday but Gustav knows I have my eye on a matching one in red. Now Roddy laughs that he'll have to enter the Le Mans next season. What fun. Let's hope I can get my new place in the Hamptons sorted out by then.

This exquisite pink champagne satin outfit is courtesy of Sarah of Misfits Vintage. It accompanied the divine yellow pantsuit that sent me reeling back into the '70s. I went even further back this time, late '20s/early '30s, inspired by this glamorous handmade beauty circa I-don't-know-when. Can any of you place this piece? The pleated fan sleeves are truly works of art.

When I first saw the skirt I was certain it was too small and only tried half-heartedly to slip it on before resolving to add small expansion panels to the sides. When it came time to do the alteration, I was sad; I simply couldn't mar this wondrous piece. Duty-bound, I went for a second attempt as is.

Voila. This is definitely a wiggle skirt, and although the zipper went up without a fight after all, I couldn't fasten the double hook-and-eye at the waistband, despite my wonderwear's ungodly sausage-casing powers.



Details

• fan-sleeved, rear zip boat-neck satin top in pink champagne with matching skirt featuring side slits, from visionary Sarah
• vintage patent black shoes (I really required some crystal studded strappy silver sandals, but one makes due. Diamond bracelets and earrings, a white faux mink stole, two enormous white ostrich feather fans, and crimson nail polish would have been grand as well.)
• faux pearls
• gold locket with a photo of my grandmother
• sausage casing, from the meat store
• canary yellow jewel, toybox

I spent a couple of hours mending, pressing, and smoothing in the afternoon before the shoot, but the chocolate-coloured dingleballs on the hem of the top are hanging on for dear life. Now that the shoot is over, this pampered lady-wear is hanging safe and secure in my closet, not quite hale enough to brave Vancouver's sidewalks but certainly game for another adventure at The Stork in the months to come. (Stork Club: famous NY nightclub that opened in '29)

On another note -
Connie over at Crafty Home Cottage has immortalized me in her artwork. If you haven't seen her blog, she explodes with positive energy that she shares in her hand-drawn journal images. She is also a musician and all-round cool person.

Thank you so much, Connie!

What are you dreaming about this week, lovelies? I once read that the dream car of surveyed Canadians turned out to be a Jeep. I was mortified. Maybe our dream gowns would be made of goretex  too (outdoor rain fabric)? Obviously, there are different interpretations of the word "dream"...