How to wear Chanel

Meet the linen Chanel dress I received last week in the mail from my dear aunt who's been on a shopping spree while vacationing at her villa in Cannes. I was scared to put it on! I've worn it here with my D&G pony shoes. I looove it!
OR
Meet the linen sailor-style bag dress I thrifted off the five-dollar rack. I looove it! What? Now the slouchy fit looks a little less sophisticated, a little more slouchy? Puh. This is still a home-tailored beauty. With pockets! And shoulder pads.

Did you think the wool hot-pants outfit in my post "How to Get More Followers" was conservative chic? Wool hot pants? Those short shorts? On a woman +50? In the middle of winter? Standing amidst grunge by the road? I have posted much more conservative outfits in the past, although they were couched in whimsical language. Did the Moschino label of the hot pants (yes, that was real) create an aura of sophistication, or maybe the blurry background...

I think it's empowering that we can craft how we want to be viewed. Framing is everything. Like magic. There's Lucille Ball stomping around a vat of grapes (I love that episode here) and then there's Lucille Ball glamour queen. I think I want the grapes and the champagne. Some days I feel like I'm in the vat; others, I'm in the lap of luxury.

Below is my Donna Karan ivory silkiest silk blouse (yes, that's true). Thrifted. It's a pyjama top (there's tell-tale piping), so dreamy, so over-sized on me, but perfect tucked half into my wrecked thrifted jeans that I DIY'ed with yarn and markers, my thrifted long black velvet opera coat, and a thrifted beret and shawl which I fling about with drama. Cuffs and boots for the rain. Puh. And magic loupe for magic.

I must walk daintily with the dress which has so little kick space, despite its being made from a whole bolt of linen. I'm not sure if I'll put slits up the sides or at the back or upcycle it into something completely new. I suppose I should learn someday how to use straight pins. Have you ever tried to push in a pin and pushed the sharp end by mistake? Oh, no, no - I have never ever done such a ridiculous thing. Oh no. By the way, did I mention that's a Chanel dress?

I'm on a "deceptive blog title" kick. Just leave me be - getting it out of my system is all. I'm going over to Patti's house now, Visible Monday, ready to swill some champagne, trying hard to keep a straight face with this restricted kick. We are the yin/yangs, the control/chaos, the Chanel/bargain binners, the balance that makes life interesting.

EDIT: I am being too abstruse here, which I suppose was partly my intent, playing with how it is easy to frame our reactions to clothes by the label, which I do too, from Biba to Chanel, although I hate that phrase at awards shows: "Who are you wearing?" This is NOT Chanel, not by any stretch, and, alas, I don't have an aunt in Cannes, but this dress has a boxy, rich quality to it and a very odd fit, which could be seen as thrifty bag dress or couture, which was part of the appeal, and it was five dollars. It was made by a talented home sewist. The dress is navy. 

Re. comments. I feel bad that some of the comments you have taken the time to write have gone missing. Mine regularly go missing on other blogs as well. I started to notice it particularly when the "I am not a Robot" began popping up on many blogs. And there's a message "Leave this page? Stay on this page?" But even before that, I have had comments go amiss. Usually I copy my comment before I submit it and then send it again if I don't see the message stating it has been saved for moderation or will appear soon. It takes much longer and it's very frustrating, as many of you know, and I'm still not sure if it works unless I go back later. 

Anyway, thank you all so much for your comments wherever they end up. I'll keep checking my trash and spam to make sure my email is not auto-sabotaging me. If any of you can crack this mystery, please let me know!

It's all about the legs and man brows

Yesterday I was a giant pastel-nicotine snowball with blue branches for legs. These photos are the best I could manage. Note the huge man brows and my hair parted on the side. You may call me Sir, no, too formal. How about, "Hey, you!" I also wore crimson lipstick, but my nose is still so red after coming in from my walk, you can't see it - or I ingested it (um, my lipstick, not my nose).

Wearing:

• pastel-nicotine faux fur coat, thrifted
• sleeveless purple mini-ish shift with wide ivory stripes on the bottom, thrifted, naturally
• teal tights under pink fishnets under crazy aqua socks, retail
• D&G shoes, thrifted
• turtleneck under dress, thrifted
• magic loupe, of course, made by O

Then on Tuesdays I wore:

• made-in-Hong Kong wild, too-short plaid pants, "100 percent bonded acrylic, dry clean only" 
• shorty linen jacket from a chichi shop, Moule, from the 99% off sale rack (or so it seemed at the time so great was my joy at the bargain), gift coupon - I never shop there otherwise
• huge honking '70s polka-dot tie, hand me over (not "Hand it over!", although that might have worked too)
• magic loupe, always, an ultra-convenient quick substitute for reading glasses
• snowball coat, bird booties, France-made blouse and beret, thrfited but of course (except the booties, oops)

You can see this outfit ->> HERE <<- because I was style-eyed by a very handsome well-dressed young man on my way home from my inspiration walk. I'm slightly dishevelled, I get like that after a particularly invigorating journalling session.

This man's project is called "Faces of Vancouver" and is modelled on the "Humans of New York" concept which focuses on slice-of-life photography rather than street style, which I find even more interesting. I recognized a few of the faces there from my street snapping days. If this young man finds his way to Bag and a Beret, a big thanks to you! (I can't comment on FB) 

It's chilly here it's danged cold for Vancouver, -4C, which is 24.8F. We're too precious, I know. Stay warm or cool, whatever the case may be. 

Visible, Shiny, and animated

I like this. I wore this. I feel good in this. Rain. Dripping awkward umbrella. Wet pant legs. Wet grit crunching under shoes. Cafe. Steaming coffee. Loudness!! Escape into my journal. Home. Fiddling around with photo-taking. Fiddling around with quick edits. Grainy, dissatisfaction. Stray bits. Posting anyway. Pickle face.

Wearing:

• thrifted shiny-buckle bronze-brown shoes
• striped socks
• thrifted Dolce and Gabbana side-zip slacks, old, had to restitch all the seams
• thrifted T-shirts and DIY T-shirt
• pink scarf, hand-me-over, worn under coat
• thrifted shawl, worn over the coat
• thrifted vintage R coat, made in Tokyo
• thrifted beret
• magic loupe O made for me

These slacks (best word for them really) make me feel tall with that vertical stripe. I'm linking these pics up to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style, and the shoes of course are being linked up to Bella's fantastic Shoe Shine at The Citizen Rosebud. Scored at Value Village, the shoes may not be glamorous - they may in fact be men's shoes - but they give me a weird sixties vibe that is irresistible. Plus, I can wear them in the rain.

And... I am including a short video of a little kids' story that my partner O and I collaborated on. O often sketches on napkins when we go out and then later I sometimes digitize them, colour them, firm them up slightly, and add backgrounds and filler scenes. You could say that the inspiration comes from O and the final product comes from me. Either way it's a collaboration that works.

I hope this little vignette relaxes you. The quality is not the best. The original digital artwork was trashed a few years ago and this video is made from scans of the surviving printouts, about 2"x2", which I stumbled across about a week ago. Thanks to the Creative Commons contributors at freesound.org and the music library that comes with VideoPad for the music and sound effects. 

Thanks for your encouragement on my journal sketches in my last post.

Fashion is serious, seriously

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!!!!

My familiar outdoor look

This is what I often look like when I go out in the mornings - patterned coat over whatever I have on underneath, bright tights, the most fabulous footwear I can find that my feet and the weather agree with, my of-the-moment favourite pink scarf, and a beret in whatever colour I am in the mood for. In this particular outfit I added the wide black elastic belt with patent leather near the buckle.

Under the coat you can just glimpse a wavy-patterned stretch tank-style dress which I wore on top of a black long-sleeved T.

This winter sheath feels fun and somewhat chic - or am I delusional? I think the dark belt with the beret is what makes this more grounded. The rang-y cat expression is compliments of my past week. I do know that when I've had the chance to slip away on my selfish/self-care inspiration walks last week I felt very swingy and bouncy in pattern and colour, yet polished and so-fist-icated with that subtle hat/belt containment. "Good morning, good morning, good morning...!" was my silly birdsong to the world. And guess what? It responded with a Good Morning back. How cool is that?! 

Details

• thrifted coat
• thrifted D&G shoes
• thrifted beret
• mustard tights, retail
• scarf, gift from Sharron
• thrifted belt
• thrifted stretch tank dress
• thrifted black T

Are you happy with your outerwear or do you see it as a necessary evil cloaking all the fabulousness you're wearing inside?

I am linking up to Patti's Visible Monday. I look forward to seeing everyone there! It's been a while since I joined the party.

PS - I put up a VOGOFF sidebar image. Feel free to grab as you like or not. Doesn't Desiree look awesome on the cover?! This is the link: http://bagandaberet.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vogoff-december-2012-issue.html

Executive look takes a detour

I am a tropical flower, blooming madly atop a stalk of pinstripes and animal shoes. My satiny petals stretch to the sky in vain in search of sunshine and nourishment.

New Fashion Rules: 

1. All political leaders must wear neon colours (and paisley) to important summit meetings to set the right tone for peace and conciliation. 
2. Male political leaders must wear mod side-zip ankle boots, in white or black, and bell bottoms.
3. Female leaders must wear go-go boots and maxi dresses. 

This is the new law.

Smiles bloomed all around me as I sashayed down my route, my corolla bobbing in herbaceous splendour. Black and white turned to technicolour in a fleeting trail of sparklets that twinkled in the gloom and wet of another rainy day.

Details

• sleeveless neon orange satin blouse with ruffles, thrifted
• neon pink satin blouse, Jacqueline Conoir, thrifted
• elastic stomacher-style orange belt with rear velcro closure, thrifted
• pinstriped executive skirt, thrifted
• D&G animal-print shoes, thrifted
• red beret, thrifted
• Betsey Johnson coat, and tights, retail

Also, I hope you all get out there, elbows cocked, wallets bulging, to gorge on Black Friday, which in North America (yes, Canada too) has become the official kick-off day for Holiday Shopping Season!!!! I dislike this day and what it stands for with intensity. Holt Renfrew, a high-end fashion retailer which I frequent for sensory inspiration, had a sign out today, "Thursday is the New Black Friday" - I just found out that there IS such a thing as Black Friday and already it's extended to Thursday. I wonder how long it will take to morph into Black Week, Black Month...

Rain seems to be the weather du jour everywhere right now. I hope you are all finding ways to cope. Maybe shopping will help. After all that venting, who knows? Maybe I'll hit a few thrift stores... I'll use my flower power to knock those shopping suckers outta my way. Okay, so I'm a Venus Fly Trap, not a benign tropical bloom after all...

AND

Bella at Citizen Rosebud has drawn up a pledge which affirms one's intent to shop second-hand first. I'm glad she said "first" because I do still have a weakness for retail from time to time. I have already been living according to this credo, but now I have a beautiful new colourful widget for my sidebar.

Wearing mustard with relish (Fashion Challenge/FC)

I have mustard - I relish this colour! So I'm playing a little catsup with the Fashion Challenge: Fall Colour Trends hosted by Megan Mae and Keely. Bandmate/crazy-gal Sandra and I were hot-dogging on a rooftop where we caught this shot. I'm glad my buns are not showing! I don't think what I'm wearing is on trend but I do have these mustard tights. Everyone looks spe-ta-coo-lar (word of the day) in their autumn colours!

Here I am luxuriating in the vestibule of my closet

The items:

• mohair pullover, thrifted
• maxi dress, thrifted
• mustard tights, sample sale
• D&G animal print shoes, thrifted
• necklaces, assorted
• wool indigo beret, thrifted
• fingerless gloves, upcycled from Canadian Tire automotive store
• quilted cotton biker jacket, sample sale

On her blog Lens is More Sandra posted a little video, which also includes clips of both of us suffering from a lack of dignity during this art outing.
Isn't my closet vestibule spe-ta-coo-lar?!
Hope y'all can wring a few more marvellous moments from what remains of the week....

Kiss of the drunken spider woman

I'm not in space any more but the retro rocket is still firing - thanks to this gift from the fabulous PAO from Project Minima: vintage maxi knit dress with an enormous brown velvet bow, once worn by her mother. Clearly we know that PAO is exploding with style and artistic talent, but now we also know that she inherited some pretty awesome get-your-groove-on genes from her mum.

It's too bad I didn't have a champagne glass as an accessory when I went out today, as surely the elevationary effervescence from a raised glass of bubbly would have flown me and this magical dress to my coffee shop in very good time and in much better style than Mary Poppins with her priggish umbrella; I would just have to hang on to the stem of the glass very tightly and watch out for spills. This dress made me feel very '60s martini/champagne party and bewitching at the same time. 

After my photo session I remembered a photo I had seen of Sonia Braga in her Spider Woman role from the movie Kiss of the Spider Woman. Our poses are similar but I think for my own good I'll end all comparisons there! Her web is very Alexander McQueen, don't you think?

My walk home was challenging: Step step step POSE. Step step step POSE. Sometimes you've just got to flaunt it; I'm glad I didn't pull a muscle from the exertion. "Here she comes, A-walkin' down the street, She gets the funniest looks from, Everyone she meets..." (Lyrics from the Monkees)

Details of the outfit:

• knit maxi dress, by Paul Stanley, New York, gift from the magnificent PAO
• maxi white nylon slip, thrifted (it came with my maxi sequin dress here)
• animal print shoes, Dolce and Gabbana, thrifted
• pantyhose(!), retail
• wooden matryoshka*, retail, Lee Valley Tools, refashioned by me, hardware by O

Accessory-wise I made do with the all-knowing-eye teacup carrier that I made from a wooden matryoshka - colour on one side (above), black and white on the other (below). The following photo also gives you a better idea of the fabric. The geometric pattern is a dark chocolate brown on ivory and there are textural horizontal lines throughout the fabric as well. I really needed the slip. (*edit: I learnt the correct word is matryoshka or matrushka, not babushka as originally posted)

So a huge thanks and hugs to PAO for making my magical journey possible today!! I couldn't have done it without you. This is my new absolute favourite dress!! 

My outfits often remind me of animals, plants, and even, in this case, a female spider. Do you make comparisons like that about your outfits? Curious. I hope you are enjoying your magical journeys in your fabulous frocks and slacks and what have you's. Breathe, breathe, breathe, aaaah.

(When I say today in this post, I mean yesterday; I wrote this up last night.)

Debut of travesty-of-music video

Watch it and weep. I scribbled these "lyrics"... (every time I write about my "band" I put quotation marks around everything, so let me preface this post by saying that key words about my "music-making" deserve quotations thereby cancelling them all out, okay?) I scribbled these lyrics just before our last band practice. What you'll hear is the first read-through that Sandra and I did and me composing music on the fly (lots of quotation marks in that sentence!). This was our last song of the day so we were very good by then with those secret communications that go on between band people (and baseball coaches and players). I looove this video. I hope you do too. It's one of my most intellectual projects in a long time. You may need your dictionary. Warning: there is language in this clip.

PS - It's not true about oxygenation.
This is the second video I've ever made - the first one I put together in my university days when video editing equipment took up a sizeable room. Here I used free software, which made me feel old but oddly liberated at the same time.

AND - Don't mess with this cougar!!
I premiered these leopard-print pants yesterday. One young fella purred at me and said, "Mm, cougar!" as he passed by. I had that coming - very funny. I should have taken a closeup of the soft fabric which has a furry texture.

I went for broke and wore my D&G leopard-print heels and added a gold bag. I tried these pants with a black sequin top as well and decided to exercise a teensy bit of restraint because the spanglers get snagged inside the jacket.

Details of the outfit:

• leopard print furry pants, high-waisted, Perry Ellis, thrifted, $10, House of Vintage
• black fine-cord jacket, Plum, thrifted, True Value Vintage
• leopard-print shoes, Dolce and Gabbana, thrifted, True Value Vintage
• knit fingerless gloves, retail, Canadian Tire automotive store

That's all from here. I hope you can see the video. It turned out exactly how I pictured it - make of that what you will...

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

The Shar Pei sweater

I'm linking up to Patti's Not Dead Yet Style Visible Monday today - barely. I am glad that I am NOT so visible today because my head feels like a balloon, the usual hot hair of course, but lots of cold too - the dreaded head cold. The best remedy for this malady has been unexpected...

Jean at Dross into Gold!

Thank you so much, Sweet Jean, for your lovely Ode!!

You've given me a real pick-me-up!

So a big, warm hug to you (with my face mask on)

I haven't been out or online for the past couple of days, so I'm happy I had these shots from late last week squirrelled away to share.

Details of the outfit:

• thrifted wool walking shorts, two sizes too big, cost almost nothing 
• thrifted polyester graphic sleeveless mini dress, worn as a top, Value Village
• thrifted black wool sweater that I resized using my Shar Pei technique, described below
• maxi cardigan, sample sale, Metallicus
• fingerless gloves and beret - these two are inseparable
• dirty dove-blue tights, with D&G thrifted heels from Value Village

This was another positive bubble outfit. I love to jam my fists into the pockets of these low-slung shorts, which makes them sit even lower - marvellous. And until I tried the mini dress as a top, I never cared much for either the dress or these wool-prickly shorts. Now I think I'll hang on to them both for a while longer.

Above I have my thumbs hooked into the pockets.

And here's a close-up of the sweater.

I pinched up the wool in vertical worm-lines at the front and back of the sweater and around the sleeve, and hand-stitched them so the gathers remain on the outside. I love that Shar Pei (wrinkle dog) effect. One sleeve has a tuck and the other doesn't; there is no symmetry. This was a quick way to add detail and bring a large piece down to size. 

Happy week everyone! (Achoo!!) Excuse me.

Follow the tangerine road...

I've been playing with the backdrop in my studio again...uh oh. This is my tangerine road, and like the yellow brick road I hope it will take me to magical places, not necessarily home, if I click my thrifted D&G heels together three times! If I say "there's no place like Paris, there's no place like Paris, there's no place like Paris" and little sparklies start drifting down from the ceiling and the floor gets tilted like in those Batman shows, I'll know I'm onto something (or perhaps that I'm ON something!).

I bought this neon pink satin blouse last week at a local thrift shop. Spookily it happens to be by Jacqueline Conoir, a local designer I had never heard of until a few days ago when I style-eyed a woman who is devoted to the label. The seafoam skirt is one I sometimes wear as a petticoat.

Details of the ensemble:

• thrifted seafoam skirt, Value Village
• thrifted D&G shoes, Value Village
• thrifted fitted Jacqueline Conoir satin top with snap front closure, Wildlife Thrift Shop
• ultramarine textured tights
• thrifted rhinestone necklace, Wildlife Thrift Shop

This outfit looks great with my patterned coat, all that slap-me-in-the-face pink jumping out alarmingly at the front, but I forgot to lug my coat into the studio with me.

I was SO DISAPPOINTED about the blurriness of the photo - the effect takes years off my face and I would never ever want anyone to think I am younger than I am! Goodness, no! Actually, I was twirling in many of the photos so most of them came out making me look younger (and often like a dunderhead). And I adjusted the lights so that's why my eyes are glazed. Honestly!

This is my piece for the fabulous Patti and her Visible Monday party. See you there?!

Trousers, jacket, hat. Go!

I keep telling myself, it's just trousers and a jacket, but I had a hard time keeping this outfit in its proper place! The trousers are heavy linen with two big pleats (supposed to be there) but there is so much fabric (we're talking living-room drapes!) that they waffle wildly in the wind making walking a challenge. Add to that my 4.5-inch platform shoes and it takes all my biped skills not to fall over. The trousers are long so I need the heel but I also like the long line.

I had no idea of the impact this outfit until I saw the photos. The glasses really make this into something else entirely. I like it, but I think in a perfect world I would wear this jacket with a patterned pink circle skirt and a red crinoline. I have worn this piece once before with vintage ultra-wide-leg jeans and flats and it looked very different. When I am actually moving I think this outfit looks more real.

Details of the outfit:

• thrifted silk brocade Oriental-style jacket with wide obi-type belt (you can see the strings hanging down), $15
• linen ultra-wide-leg trousers, Totem, sample sale, $10
• D&G leather and wood shoes, thrifted at Value Village, $10
• felt "acorn" hat, Kyoto, Japan, new about 20 years ago, I've also had this hat called a Hersey's kiss, nice name

And a fun shot. The wall is keeping me up. This ensemble was really a challenge to wear but fun too. Hope you're all having fun in your closets today!

A bit spooky.

 

Scr-e-e-e-amingly Red

I was inspired by Citizen Rosebud and all her capes lately to wear this vintage red wool cape. The days are getting longer and warmer and I won't be able to wear it much more this season. My friend took this pic OUTSIDE. (Thank you!) I'm putting this in Patti's Visible Monday. Purple and red, ouch!

Details of the outfit:

• red vintage wool cape with faux fur trim from F as in Frank vintage shop on Main Street
• thrifted D&G side-zip slacks - the stitching was melting away so I had to resew all the seams. The fabric is like a lightweight ski-pant alien poly. Ooo, love it.
• long purple gloves from a neat boutique, I forget the name, but found the same gloves at Winners a week later for half the price! Rrrr.
• another teacup case I made, details in photo below. I love the spoon in the lid but I don't use it much.  I bought that Spode cup before my mum sent me my other most beautiful cup from a great, great, great grandmother (it's in an earlier post with my babushka teacup carrier). Of course coffee tastes better in a teacup that you bring from home in a groovy case. O made the hardware for me.

And another outdoor pic because it's such a novelty! We thought that was another person in the background - it's my reflection. We laughed.

And another pic to show my pants! It's a weird pose. These pants look great with some incredibly high-heeled, black pointy shoes, but my feet said "Non! Non!" today. In this pic, the stripe on the pants looks spider-webby.

I seem to have a few thrifted D&G pieces in my closet and it got me thinking, if there was a Lemonade Guide for Used Clothing, D&G would not be highly recommended; it seems to lose its value very quickly - I have found many pieces at low, low prices. What do you think? See you again soon.

Analogous AND complementary?

I was inspired by some green/orange combos and pink/red combos I've seen on blogs lately. Yes, I, too, sadly learned The Rule about putting analogous colours together and was warned away from complementary colour pairings, hence, the Fun Rule-Breaking Day, featuring one of my favourite vests. Here I am in: orange and red PLUS green and red PLUS blue and green. Yummy and naughty. I found a slightly brighter place to take today's pic which shows all the marvellous colours. I hope you like it! This outfit puts a spring in my step.

Details:

• vintage vest - orange and green paisley, in an alien poly fabric (which I adore), worn inside out (you can see the darts) and belted with an embroidered '70s belt because the vest is much, much too large for me 
• re-gifted silk blouse, also much too large, but I'm into that
• D&G red velvet pants, thrifted of course, and thrifted D&G shoes, love those high-waters!

My Style Autoblography

When I went on my inspiration and style-scouting walk today, I ran into my rocker chick friend, Sandra Bernabei. I told her about this new blog and she said, "Oh, you're doing an autoblography?" I love that word and she said she just made it up on the spot. I'm trying to coax her into her most intense rocker gear for a photo but even today she had on a great hand-sequinned T-shirt supporting the Port Alberni fire-fighting water bombers! (Port Alberni is a small town on Vancouver Island)

Today was cold so I threw on three slips under my dress, one red, one rust, and one white, and it helped.

Details of my outfit:

• one nifty thrifted vintage dress, short sleeved with pleats, made out of excellent polyester, which I bought a few days ago
• black turtleneck under the dress for warmth
• three slips and light blue tights (you can see the rust slip peeking out in photo 2)
• thrifted D&G pony heels, score purchase a few years ago
• a necklace from waaay long ago with a little heart hanging on it.

There are three vertical rows of  ivory-coloured stitching on the front of the dress, curving from the top down to just above the pleats where they end in arrow points. The whole dress is finely made. I kept the photos slightly orange because I liked that vintage patina with this dress pattern.

This pose is how I feel in this dress: "Ta-dah," with a little tap dancing flourish to punctuate it!
O thinks this is good studio camouflage wear.

It looks like there's light coming out of the painting with this colouring and reflection.