My Montecristo magazine debut

I'm feeling so professional. I'm in a magazine, my favourite Canadian magazine! Montecristo. It's quite a rush. Yeah, I was in some big-name global mags (see my press), but this is a home magazine, which makes it special. Not just photos but an essay I wrote called Defying Ageist Fashion Rules: Styleactivism. It's their online version, but I don't care - this is only the first step. 

So quick, sign me up for kite-surfing, a pie-eating contest, ice-climbing, waterfall kayaking (not making that up), and wing-walking while I'm on this high. Actually, the wing-walking has always appealed to me in theory.

I owe photographer Katrin Braga, who took these photos, for this opportunity. She invited me to join her photographic project and then asked if I would contribute an essay. Of course! A native of Iceland, she excels at taking photos of women in the wind - that's just my own observation. Her IG is here.

Katrin was the first professional photographer I worked with a few years back when fashion designer Claire Cormeau asked me to model her designs. I wrote about it in a post called My Day as a 50+ Supermodel. We've been in touch with each other ever since then. She also dropped my name to talent scouts at a casting agency, which led to a few highly interesting TV commercial auditions, here, here, and here. They were all followed by some regrettable thrift shopping.

Of course I was terrified by each new adventure.

But now? Pffft. No more rigor-mortis-face if you point a camera at me. Well, unless it's the look I'm going for. I have to say that it's a bit disturbing, this new-found comfort, but it seems to be part of the natural evolution of playing in this medium. One is bound to become more at ease after years of posing.

In fact, I created two highly-sophisticated guides to posing, which I previously posted on Bag'n'B, here and here. They have definitely been instrumental in my professional career as a poser.

The awesome coat is from Shelley of Forest City Fashionista. It's in high rotation this winter. The glitter tights were retail because I love them, and the vintage over-the-knee boots are from My Sister's Closet eco-thrift boutique, which supports Battered Women's Shelter Services. O made all the rings I am wearing, and I DIY'ed the praying-mantis pendant. (Some spell it preying, which I thought was correct, but no! I was shocked!)

The light in Katrin's studio that day was amazing.

Above I'm wearing black jeans and a men's dress shirt from MSC, a thrifted men's belt, and a deluxe Maison Martin Margiela blazer that Sandra of @standard.deviations bought me at a Sally Ann. So good. The tie is a gift from a friend.

I had a great time with Katrin on this shoot in her studio. Writing the essay was a challenge because I have a bazillion things to say about style rules. If you've already seen this news on my IG, thanks for bearing with this post. And thank you for your incredible support.

Feel free to Facebook, Twitter, Honk, and Toot this article. Heck, yell it out in the supermarket too if that feels right. Hahaha. I want to do this again. I'm becoming a MONSTER!!! Hahaha.

Of course I'm going to link up with Patti at her Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style, and Catherine at her #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb.

Have an amazing week, friends, full of positive surprises.

PS: Claire is now a clothing designer at MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop), which is a consumers' cooperative retail chain that sells outdoor-life clothing/sporting goods to its members (I'm a member). I'm thrilled that she is able to put her design talent to work in their line of clothing. They are so lucky to have her.

The trend that ate her brain

Trends - they're inescapable. One minute I'm laughing at the fashion lemmings running full tilt toward the cliff, then, blam, I'm reaching for the hideous onesie on the $5 rack.

I figure trend messages are like little bits of dirt that stick to me wherever I go. They come not through TV or fashion magazines, but style blogs and high-end retailers where I ogle opulence and dig for DIY ideas.

So my latest downfall and touchdown - the yellow trench coat, worn here with my happy doggie scarf.

Most of the trend particles are usually expelled; I like to go my own way. But once in a while they get wedged in dark crannies in my brain where, after weeks of constant abrasion, they are transformed into frigging pearls. (I wish it worked like that with cash in my wallet.) This particular pearl was thrifted last week.

Below is the heavy blue satiny dress I wore under the coat, fully lined with pockets. It's "laundry by design" brand. Thrifted. I've had it for years and seldom wore it because I thought it was too short.

While I usually can't pinpoint the origin of my own lemming leaps, in this particular case I can: Not Dressed as Lamb. I shall blame Catherine. Hahaha!! And thank her too because, come on, a yellow trench coat? It's not that she was pushing yellow trench coats like a dealer on the street or a trend hound, but one week she had a link-up theme on yellow and two weeks later a theme on trench coats. Blam!

I'm sure there are other fabulous bloggers who are complicit in this purchase. You know who you are. I of course absolve myself of any responsibility whosoever. I'm clever like that. You may admit your guilt in the comments below. Heh.

Two cases above where I've succumbed to trends. Left: the denim onesie, vintage, thrifted before all the hoopla, but still. And right: the red onesie, thrifted when the trend was dying.

And yes, I've also been wearing my shorter dresses lately, but with opaque tights instead of jeggings or slim-fit pants. This switch seems like a big deal, maybe because tights in general have a rep for being more slatternly than jeggings or jeans, especially on 40+ women wearing suspiciously high hemlines. "Oh, that hussy. She thinks she can disguise those five layers of tights as jeggings or pants? It's a disgrace."

At least my dresses are being worn once again as they were intended - as dresses, not as tunics or long tops. I can't foresee going barelegged with a shorter dress, but never say never. And don't get me wrong, I like tunics, but they don't suit me when I'm in this edgy, pissed off mood.

My style is in flux, as it always is. I just wonder what will happen if someone hosts a linkup featuring green vinyl bikinis one week and pink faux fur the next. Vix? Can you at least give me a little warning so I can corner the market over here when that trend takes its grip? Heh.

I'll be linking this demure little trench to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style and to Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb.

That's all, kittehs. It's an interesting week ahead. I'll tell you all about it later.

Also, Katrin Braga, the photographer for Claire Cormeau's Nuage line, posted a new portrait of me. Oh! If you want to see it, check it here.

Also, on his blog Advanced Style, Ari Seth Cohen posted a brilliant piece written by Debra Rapoport in response to criticisms of her style made on Ari's Facebook after he posted Debra's photo. Excellent writing! Exactly!! It's HERE.

My day as a 50+ supermodel

It's one thing to make faces at my little camera stuck on tripod in a garbage room atelier, where I can snort, guffaw, get sweaty, fall off my shoes, say oof all the time, and cuss in foreign languages, and a whooole other thing to be photographed under the gaze of professionals. But I did it – and I didn't even swear once! I present with a flourish: My Day as a 50+ Supermodel. Bwahaha!

I had been worrying like crazy before the shoot. I told Claire Cormeau, the designer who asked me to model her new line called Nuage, that I hadn't done anything like it before but, sure, I'd do it. And then I had a month to freak out very effectively.

Designer Claire Cormeau; Photography Katrin Braga; Hair & Makeup Vanessa Kuan. 2016. Feeling faintly Swinton. I'd put on this face all the time if I could remember how. Who took my eye bags?!

The night before the shoot I shaved my yeti legs (they could double as reflectors, handy), clipped all the scraggy hairs from my nose (picture Mr. Bean), and made sure my pits and nails were shiny and bright. I forgot to moisturize my hands. But really, how can I be expected to remember so many body parts!?

I took a taxi to the studio to kick off my transition from humble (heh) personal style blogger to mega-uber supermodel. "Safety ensconced in her limo, she scrolled simultaneously through three cell phones, praying that she had stymied the paparazzi on her night of debauchery." Okay, that thought didn't help my flip-flop heart at all.

When I arrived at the studio there was a crack team of three women on standby - think Miss Congeniality, except I already know how to glide. Vanessa Kuan was in charge of my hair and face. Claire primped me in her absolutely gorgeous clothing! And Katrin Braga took the photos. While all this was going on, I exercised top-notch freaking out in the guise of insouciance.

Designer Claire Cormeau; Photography Katrin Braga; Hair & Makeup Vanessa Kuan. 2016. Katrin rushed to get these shots in fading sunlight. I love the profile of this anti-tux. The left pantleg is shorter and more close-fitting than the right.

I needn't have worried though. It was a day of point-and-shoot photography; in other words, they'd guide me to a spot, point me toward the camera, and then shoot. I tried my best not to think happy thoughts; sombre, morose things relax my face, and I rotated under their direction, although I had a few Mel jags with kicks, stomps, grrrs, and laughs. Between takes I tried hard not to respire, sweat, or shed cells on the exquisite clothes.

Katrin, what can I say? She was a maniac who stopped at nothing to get a shot. She rolled around on the floor, on asphalt, on muddy grass! From her prone position she expertly switched from one honking big camera to another, from digital to film. But every time she said, "Oh yeah, beautiful, that's great, perfect," I would crack up (literally) - I kept thinking of the 1966 movie Blow Up with Vanessa Redgrave (clip is here). Katrin's positive feedback at least reassured me that I wasn't totally screwing up.

Designer Claire Cormeau; Photography Katrin Braga; Hair & Makeup Vanessa Kuan. 2016. LOVE these "Melting Pants". The puddling of the waistband forms a ginormous pocket. She made the turtleneck too.

Vanessa magically revealed my inner dewy-skinned self. And I love how we went from sticking-up hair to slicked hair with blue brows and lashes. Can it be that I was feeling...Vogue? Bwahaha! I'll definitely do the slicked look again.

And Claire, in addition to juggling her fine designs, watered and fed us. She even brought a blankie to keep me warm between takes, cool props, lint rollers, socks, you name it. After six hours in several locations in different outfits, hairstyles, and makeup, I was exhausted - I'm not used to so much attention and bodily control.

I can't imagine what modeling as a career would be like, besides nerve-wracking!, but I'm sure that you'd be hard-pressed to find a dream team of young women as kind, patient, funny and professional as this one.

Designer Claire Cormeau; Photography Katrin Braga; Hair & Makeup Vanessa Kuan. 2016. People in the park wondered if we had ripped that bonsai out of the ground. Claire brought it as a prop, daffodils too. Best pants with circle cut-outs and embroidery down the sides. 

Thank you, Claire, for giving me this opportunity. Her Nuage line is all about freedom of expression and empowerment of women of all ages, and she wanted to reflect that in this shoot. I hope I was able to give her clothes and vision the justice they deserve. Her pieces are truly exquisite.

And think about it: how many young designers would have the guts to hire an untried 50+ broad over an 18-year-old pro to showcase their work? Cool, right? If you can, check out her website where you'll find details of her designs, including jewellery and other products.

Until next time, see you in the Enquirer. Bwahaha!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Credits:

Claire Cormeau: Designer (Nuage)
WEBSITE :: INSTAGRAM

Katrin Braga: Photographer
WEBSITE :: INSTAGRAM :: TUMBLR

Vanessa Kuan: Hair and Makeup
INSTAGRAM

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they go live, I'll link this up to Patti at Visible Monday, Not Dead Yet Style and
Catherine, #iwillwearwhatilike, Not Dressed as Lamb.
I wore these outfits, maybe not shopping or to the coffee shop, but I WORE them. It felt so good.