Friends galore and imaginations gone wild

Uh-oh, someone got into the maaakeup!

This is what happens when friends come to town - all hell breaks loose, usually on my face. And on my friends' faces. That's Shelley of Forest City Fashionista on the right. She visited Vancouver for a while and we got into all kinds of trouble.

But things really got started for me on a trip to Toronto where I hooked up with Suzanne Carillo when my work finished early. Suzanne took this photo in a cool consignment shop called Common Sort on Queen Street East. From there, we wandered the neighbourhood and had some laughs and a bite to eat at Tabule. Unexpected mini adventures are the best kind!

The day I got back to Vancouver, Shelley arrived in town, and the forecast was for sun, sun, and more sun. Plus, I had a grip on my workload, so ready or not Vancouver....

On our first day we wandered into Nordstrom where we promptly got lost in the sale racks in the designer section. We are die-hard thrifters but couldn't help ogling the spangles, boucles, plastics, and denims, all at eye-popping discount prices(!). One thing led to another and before you know it, we were arms akimbo throwing stuff on in the change rooms. Big thanks to Mary Jane who enabled us!

"What do you think, Shelley?" "I dunno, Mel. I think the sleeves could be longer. Which reminds me, wanna go see that zombie movie?" And yes, we did go later, The Dead Don't Die, by fave director Jim Jarmusch, starring Tilda Swinton and Steve Buscemi, among others. (It was didactic. That's all I'll say. And Tilda stole the show, as usual.)

That's a new thing for me below, poses with hands around my face. It feels so wrong but a photographer told me that it "reads well on camera." Okay, fine, so I'm practising. We had some laughs as I tried out new moves. My favourite so far is the "pulling-off-my-own-head pose," not shown here.

Doesn't it look like I'm in a moisturizer commercial? Or maybe I'm just remembering that I forgot to buy Ted a new jar of Nescafe instant coffee. And also, who's Ted? And why am I buying him coffee?

Shelley was afraid to come too close because there was a padlock on my coat. Clearly, I must be a secret agent and that lock is keeping all my feminine secrets safe. Or maybe that's a new super mini handbag. Cool! But if it is, don't you think it would be kind of awkward fiddling around there every time you need cash? Plus, it would only hold bit coins.

Those "pants" actually have feet on them so they are tiggings (tights/jeggings - I made that up). They are a bit see-through but I got-got-got no time to figure it out, cool as this ensemble may be, and despite it being the most "affordable" set of the lot. I bought the sunglasses at Common Sort.

Those pink pearlescent cycling shorts on Shelley are dazzling we both agreed. Except they didn't fit. Minor detail? - in a thrift shop, maybe, but sadly not here. At least they look awesome from the front and sides. And for a laugh and great photos, they are a deal.

I erased the light reflections on my sunglasses in the next photo. I was swooning over this zesty lemon coat, just the thing for a hot June day. In fact, it is! But I didn't buy it. And the dress looks great on Shelley, but we weren't shedding tears over not being able to buy either piece; not wanting them made us feel better. For me, there's something unnatural or off-putting about perfection.

And no wardrobe is complete without a suit. For months I've had my eye on the jacket Shelley is wearing. There is a skirt thing that goes with it. Basically, the jacket has been chopped zig-zaggedy and you can wear it buttoned or flopping. I like the freshness of the idea, but it's the kind of thing we could fark ourselves if we wanted to, but won't - it's been done already. Shelley's shorts look great with it though.

The suit I'm wearing is a tad out of my price range. And the pants are way huge on me. But the jacket sleeves are cool, don't you think? Wait until you see the thing I thrifted later on with a few digits lopped off the price. The boots (my own, "Jericho" from Fluevog) added great attitude.

Next, sing it with me: 🎵

We're gonna take our horse to the downtown road, 

we're gonna shoooop at the old thrift store.

Alert, another face pose! This aluminum-foilesque blazer is exactly my style. I adore the humongous acrylic buttons. Shelley grabbed it for a try-on on our way out. The way I farked this photo reminds me of a popular Canadian TV ad where a couple heats their home so hot that it melts cheese. In this case, I would be the potato.

Huge thanks to Nordsrom Vancouver for this excellent dress-up opportunity! You never know what will happen.

Next we headed for coffee at Quantum, a cool newish cafe that attracts lots of hipster gig-economy brainiac trendy types, like ourselves, well, kinda, perhaps like the children we never had...? That's a scary thought. It's conveniently located just across the street from Alley Oop, Vancouver's brightly painted alley where IGsters and garbage/delivery trucks vie daily for supremacy, in a friendly way with toots and waves.

Who's the big banana? Shelley! Her bag has horns. It's pretty shocking how many strangers can't keep their hands off them. No, seriously.

So that was Day 1.

Day 2.

Sheila of blog Sheila Ephemera arrives in town! She took a day off work to fly in from Vancouver Island special to meet Shelley for the first time. They've known each other more than seven years from blogging and it was the perfect day to hang out together. Our friendships took off like we've been neighbours, which kind of we have been. I've met Sheila a bunch of times from her annual wedding anniversary pilgrimages to Vancouver with her husband L.

I had no idea if the photo below would come out. It was so sunny I couldn't see a thing on my viewfinder.

We headed straight to My Sister's Closet for some thrift shopping. No photos there - we were too busy. Then we hopped the Aquabus to go to Granville Island for lunch before hitting a shoe store, where Sheila got the deal of the century, and a couple of consignment stores called Turnabout. 

Happy Shelley on the boat! Who doesn't love a boat ride? I took her photo while she was taking one of me and Sheila.

Look at me - the happy puppy! Doesn't Sheila look amazing!! The glasses, the earrings, and that dress, oh, that dress!!

This is the part where I fast-forward to the close of our day together over some Italian food before Sheila had to catch her plane home. 

Sheila did a mega write-up of her day trip HERE, and Shelley did a post already HERE. She'll have another one soon as well. And I'm the slow poke. Heh. I'll also need a Part 2 to cram everything in.

I hope you are all stellar! Meeting my friends in 3D is such a great reminder of how our online selves open all kinds of unexpected and rewarding pathways to explore.

I'm linking up to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. Hooray! And also Catherine when she goes live with #iwillwearwhatilike" at Not Dressed as Lamb.

Thank you for visiting!! It's been a while since I've been home here, so I appreciate it.
xo

PS - None of these links is sponsored; they are journal notes of our time together, but we loved all these places.

How to be in Vogue and not know it

Sequins for lunch? Of course. Although to be accurate, these are really paillettes, which sit at the apex of Sparkledom. And then I like to add a little toolbox hand bag chaser. Quite satisfactory.

This week, having linked up all my interviews with Margaret of Sixty & Me and Elaine of MaturePreneurial, I decided I should update my Press page HERE, so I went rummaging online, which I haven't done in a long time, to see if I've missed anything I should add. 

Gaaa! - big surprise!

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And a stark reminder of how the web never sleeps. 

Unbeknownst to me, I have been leaking all over the place, mostly into posts about "old" Instagrammers and bloggers or "women ten years over half a century," aunts, grandmas, seniors, and the aged - in a good way I guess, right? Right? (often Google translations)

Overall, I was 1) shocked, 2) flattered, and 3) delighted to find myself in the fantasy titles of my youth: Vogue (Korea), Elle (Serbia), Cosmo (China), Marie Claire (Hong Kong), as well as other big-timey sites in Hungary, Mexico, Vietnam, Ukraine, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Czech Republic, Thailand, Indonesia, Netherlands, Australia, US, Romania, Estonia, Japan, UK - I think that's all. 

Starrett toolbox hand bag from O's height gauge with my big, side-button, high-waisted palazzo pants

Try and picture it, me slouched over my laptop, slurping my room-temp decaf, dressed in my slobblish oversized pants and a men's button-down, scrolling, then suddenly spewing decaf, my eyes like pie plates. 

"O, guess what? I'm in Vogue?! Gaaa!" He raised an eyebrow (sign of being impressed).

Many of the posts were a couple of months old so it felt a bit like winning gold after the original medalist is busted for doping. No podium moment for me! Heh. Unless you count my red carpet walk in the concrete box wearing this fabulous paillette jacket from eco thrift boutique My Sister's Closet.

What I liked was I got into those sites not as a model but as who I am, me, Mel, and the photos I took in the concrete box were up there alongside big name bloggers with pro photographers. That made all my bungling that much more satisfying.

Definitely, time for a real drink, coffee with caffeine, and raisin toast.

But the big revelation is that none of this has had a direct impact on my life, except I was jittery for hours and will have to buy more raisin bread. Sure, my Instagram followers have been going up, but I haven't known why. And all along I've had sponsorship offers, almost all of which I ignore or decline because they don't fit with my style/vibe.

Demonstrating the latest trend of having your tag sticking out. Awesome corset t-shirt from Shelley, Forest City Fashionista, with my uni-suspender. I love the lighting I get with this black velvet backdrop.

So my conclusion is: what matters to me is the real-life stuff, enjoying the company of friends, many met via blogging, and being receptive to new experiences. For example, last night I went to a Fluevog cocktail party for Silver Foxes and Vixens  - how cool is that?! The store was debuting its new season of shoes and I got to chat with John Fluevog himself. And next week I'll attend a Vancouver Fashion Week gala, invited by a friend. Sometimes I get asked because I have a street style blog, but I could probably wangle an invite without it.

These online discoveries have also underscored the reason I'm on social media at all:

To grab the most I can out of what my closet and imagination have to offer and to share that good feeling with people who share back. I love that loop of positivity. 

That's what the Freakish Yellow Skirt was about. Remember her? (see paragraph at end of post for brief update)

My blog is where I get to do a big show-and-tell of all my little projects and Turnip Head and musings about the absurdities of life and of course my outfits, like that sweet tiger zip jumpsuit with matching quilted skirt, for example. In.love.with.it. A gracious gift from Pao of Project Minima, whose Mum used to rock it.

Of course, if Madam Big-Time Producer called me on my Bat Phone and said breathlessly -

Mel, my Lear Jet is in the no-parking zone of your building waiting for you. I need you here PDQ (NY or London, Berlin, Paris) to host our new show Farknation!

- I would oblige. It's the polite thing to do. Heh. Wearing these stripes and honkin' huge earrings, I'm ready to go!

It's all part of the fantasy: blogging, dressing up, going to galas. I'll take them where I can get them.

Fantasy and styling are not escapes from reality; they are the armour and strength that help me deal with it and shape it to my liking. (mel said)

Sometimes I wish I were born with more business genes, so I could squeeze more from the things thrown my way, but I y'am what I y'am. Or maybe an assistant would help.

But that only happens in Farknation. 

In Farknation, there's a parking space for jets on the street and my umbrella, below, is a riding helmet.

I was feeling very Horse & Hound in this outfit. Tally-ho. Or this is what I would wear to walk the corgis. I'd just need a kerchief and an HRH or HM in front of my name to bring this fantasy to life.

I hope all of you have had a lovely week and are enjoying your own fantasies, played-out or not. I'm going to link with Patti at Visible Monday on her blog Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine at #iwillwearwhatilike on her blog Not Dressed as Lamb. I'll see you there?

FREAKISH YELLOW SKIRT UPDATE:
FYS is back in Vancouver after almost getting stranded. I have to recover from that before/if she goes out again. It's nerve-wracking being the caretaker of FYS because so many women have a stake in her well-being. She has put on weight since I saw her last with all the awesome embellishments that have been added. I'll do a post about it sometime soon.

Masculine-feminine style, wearing cartoons, and life as a stylist

What do you wear when you want to wear something masculine/feminine, high brow/low brow? You wear this. 

The main ingredients are my thrifted vintage Emporio Armani jacket, thrifted men's Diesel T-shirt (size Impossible with super-long sleeves), women's Bardot jeans from a sample sale, and men's thrifted narrow shoes.

The jacket, T, and shoes are all from My Sister's Closet (MSC), a social enterprise that funds Vancouver's Battered Women's Support Services. If you've got any good-condition cast-offs lying around, this is a good place to take them. And then go for a shop! (unpaid endorsement)

Of course, the most essential ingredients of this ensemble are my magic loupe and ring, which O made me. You can get them now too from his Etsy store, HERE. And naturally, I've thrown in my gold glitter ankle socks and favourite lipstick. I even wore my glasses because A) I love them, and B) the cool clip-ons make them so baaaad (say it like a sheep, should be shoop, heck, just say it like a goat).

But to add to the feminine side I did this, below.

I wore O's little leather pouch - I think it's designed for carrying gems!? Anyway, I swiped it. Hahaha. And I tied the strap around my neck with this feminine blue ribbon to secure it to my body. Without it, the pouch slides off, and wearing the pouch inside the jacket adds wretched bulk. Unacceptable! Plus, I adore this soft, colourful touch.

You can see all the magic elements there. And below, the whole damned thing. I walked down the sidewalk like an outlaw in a Western, ready to draw. Yes, I mean it - I had paper and my special pen with me, which also added a soft touch.

Carrying on with this dissection theme, we have my J.Lo workout jumpsuit in black velour. As if I'm going to work out ... Hahaha. I posted it on Instagram before, when it was oh-so-lonely, just plain 'ole black velour. But as you can see, the mystical melanization process has brought it to life, much like how Dr. Frankenstein reanimated bodies, except this cartoon doesn't have someone else's criminal brain, I'm pretty sure.

Yep, now it's a fun velvet painting. Keep on truckin'. It still may not make me want to work out, but it makes me want to have a good time, which is why I went to the alley. (No, you perves, I don't mean that kind of good time. Get your mind out of the gutter - unless that's where you do your best creative work too.)

See? This new, improved jumpsuit made me jump! Just a little. Just for a few ten-shot photo bursts. But I did some videoing in this outfit with my fabulous dotted cart, with lots of running and Flintstones twinkle-toeing, like here, well, as much as I could in platform runners. The men unloading the beer truck blocking the alley probably thought the lab switched the brains.

The extra bits below. Humongous sunglasses, an absolute must, and my platform runners, which I bought in a moment of weakness (or strength of will?) super-duper sale retail. I loove these shoes. They scuff easily though. And of course, my magic ring is there and my magic loupe.

See? With these little style vignettes, this is just like a REAL style blog now. Pffft. Kiss my cartoon!


And next, who do we have here? Why, this is Vivian! She was my personal styling/closet-rooting-around client. I had to share photos of her; we had such a good time. First, we went through her closet, and after, we went on a field trip to the store. It was a two-day thing.

Below, the Before photo from shopping. It's hard to believe we could "up" this starting point, but we certainly zigged and zagged and got her lots of new, fun, and lasting pieces for her wardrobe.

You know how there is that popular style guide called Dressing Your Truth? Well, my version is more Dressing Your Dare. Vivian showed how it's done. Shoes! Scarves! Dresses! Coats! Bring it on!!

Nah, she didn't buy the stole, we're waiting for the Bigger Sale. Hahaha! But she was game. And check out that lime green and burgundy wine designer dress behind her. Yes! No. She didn't get that either. The super-long pointy collar was impale-worthy. But it was a time of exploration, functional play I call it, taking stock and restocking. There are more photos of Vivian on her Instagram, HERE.

I got permission from Vivian to post these photos, so don't go sweating all over yourself if you've gone all gaspy. Seriously, we had lots of fun and got lots done.

If you're in the Vancouver area and feel ready for a little Frankening of your own, contact me through the email on this blog or via my Instagram. I haven't done it by video yet, but probably we could work something out. Maybe.

That's all for this week, my little shoops, meese. (Goose, geese, right? That's how it's supposed to work.) Not that I think any of you are mutton! Or mooses! No! Okay, clearly, it's time to sign off for this week. Heh.

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I'll link up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style, Visible Monday. Yeah - refill the punch bowl, I'm bringing my Super Big Gulp cup!* And I'll link up to Catherine at Not Dressed as Lamb, #iwillwearwhatilike.

Have a good one, everyone. You figure out what that "one" is. Have a good multiple. !!! Okay, it's really time to go.

Thanks for visiting. My appreciation is unbounded. Too bad I ran out of cheese nippy hors d'oeuvres to feed you.

*Super Big Gulp is the SUPER HUUUGE drink size you can buy at 7-Eleven convenience store, 1.3 L/44 US oz. Who? Who buys this size? There's even an X-treme Gulp - 1.56 L. 

Camp stool, chips, a Herrera gown, and Alley Oop

Money, models, class, decorum, and who decides what's what, all of this in the midst of fashion week mania and surreal politics - I had to make a video or let my angst and creative juices rot me away from the inside. So I grabbed my Carolina Herrera gown, unworn since I bought it for an obscenely low price at My Sister's Closet close to a year ago, and let whimsy take its course.

Black beehive hair, blue lips, blackened eyes, drawn-on lashes, mitten clips, and a faux-fur collar which I upcycled with long red ties - the "costume" came together in minutes, which happens when I'm at an expressive threshold.

The outfit was an instrument, not something I would normally wear, especially the wig and makeup. And while a gritty alley would have worked for the location, it felt too predictable. The newly-painted alley (Alley Oop), on the other hand, was terribly cheerful; in fact, so cheerful with this outfit, it was bad - oooh, lovely.

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The VIDEO. Click:

Music: Behind Closed Doors with Otis McDonald. 

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As props for this fancy dress I chose chips and my camp stool, and my role would be to bridge or merely play in the rough gulf between them all, emphasis on play - transforming grossness into a morning of fun and free expression. The following are all stills from the video.

Feeling slightly vulnerable in a costume, on my way downtown it was important to maintain my creative spark and strength. A focused, confident and smooth stride took care of that; I was a woman on a mission after all. And my Chanel sunglasses hid my steely gaze. Heh.

Shockingly, I received quite a few compliments, probably because I owned my image despite walking outside my comfort zone - strength is a draw. Plus, those who didn't like it at least had the good graces to stay out of my way. Heh.

Now that I've mastered the wearing of this outfit, I could wear it again without that sense of theatricality, even with the extreme makeup. Probably I won't, but attitude is everything. It's magic!!

And I gave away some business cards, the very first one to a woman I met in Alley Oop, Eyoälha Baker. She was there taking photos for her Jump for Joy Photo Project. You'll have to see it to appreciate it, here. So much positive energy!! I'm glad my first card went to her.

That's all. My second post in less than a week. !!! I loved editing this video. I learn something new every time - it's such a challenge. This photo is from my concrete box when I got home.

I hope you are all having a good week and doing what needs getting done to get through your day - whether it's making a video or a pot of stew.

Crimson rose petal coat and the big red bag dress

I can't stop wearing red. Bright SCREEAMING red. A young, well-dressed man downtown said to me today, "That's a really red outfit." I said, "Why, yes, it is." Man: You really stand out. Me: I suppose I do. Man: That looks great! Me: Thank you. And then he resumed talking to his imaginary friend.

This dress is size 4, designed to be baggy, which I ADORE. I love the really long sleeves and how the neckline plunges to the waist. As sneer guard, I wore a black camisole with a lacy red slip on top of it. And those are my combat boots, designed to combat boredom and anchor big dresses. They tromp most satisfactorily.

The vintage, crimson rose petal opera coat is from my fairy vintage mother, Su. Mwah!! And Sam, manager of My Sister's Closet, directed me to this dress, which at the time was a crumpled red ball of fabric but she knew I'd love the colour. Oh so right! (The dress was wrinkled because it had just come in and not been steamed yet.)

That's all I have for you this week. Better than nuthin' I hope. Of course I'll link up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday and Catherine at Not Dressed as Lamb for #iwillwearwhatilike. I hope my business cards come this week so I can finally be real.

PS - My Sister's Closet is throwing a fundraiser comedy night in Vancouver on Sep. 20 at VanCity Theatre, featuring Mike MacDonald and Melanie Rose. Proceeds go to Battered Women's Shelter Services. Details are here. 

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Edit: A huge smooch to Shelley of Forest City Fashionista for including me in her list:

"8 of the Coolest Outfits Worn by 40+ Bloggers this Month" 

She wrote it to balance out the lists on Bloglovin' where only young mainstream women count. It's an honour to be included among these creative, independent-minded women. 

Interplanetary pom poms!

Linking up to Judith at Style Crone for Hat Attack 30.
Linking up to Anne at SpyGirl for 52 Pick-me-up: Grass/Growth/Courage.
Linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday.
Linking up to Catherine at Not Dressed as Lamb for #iwillwearwhatilike.

Coat from the mmmarvelous Su Bennett, co-stylist at My Sister's Closet fashion show; Italian soft pants with huge front snaps $5 at My Sister's Closet; leather booties My Sister's Closet; blouse/tunic My Sister's Closet; hat from Talize; earrings My Sister's Closet. I had coffee with Su today and she was wearing a smashing Balenciaga tunic from My Sister's Closet, smashing! I took my camera but forgot to pull it out - typical.

I'm tired. My tempest in a thimble (re. previous post) has tuckered me out. But I'm feeling all-round joyful in this outfit.

Happy closet hunting!!

I forgot the title. Heh.

Hot pink leather pants from Shelley, purple wool bell bottoms, pom pom hat, zig-zaggy tunic/dress, maxi denim coat - these are a few of my favourite things playing in heavy rotation lately. And big earrings. I don't have photos of everything but the following shots give you an idea of what I've been running around town in. 

Today: the shaggy boots. This is only the third time I've worn them, they take up lots of storage space, and I can't be fleet of foot when I wear them; I must consider whether they are keepers or not. I tried sticking-up-hair with my new cut. Meh, okay. The vintage tunic has gold lurex thread throughout and a space collar.

I bought the tunic-thing above at Talize - I have been thinking about that store. Sure, it has a bit of everything as a big box outlet, but when I get right down to it, I'd rather support a bunch of little businesses. I'd rather a world with 10,000 fishing boats owned by a bunch of families than 10,000 boats and families owned by one corporation. I'll still go to Talize but it will never be my mainstay - I like my local shops.

If you follow me on IG you've seen a big hat photo. This one is from a video clip I took on Christmas Day. As Connie of Snow in the Air commented on IG, the pom poms are like little fireworks. Hahaha, yes!! The hat was $2.99 from Talize, Marie Claire brand, which is a chain that specializes in kitschy accessories for tweens, middle-aged ones as well apparently. Heh.

On the right side with the red coat, a camera remote control test photo. Ta-dah - I'm walking, and more than just my left foot is in focus. It's a miracle!

Note the jumping skills, again courtesy of my remote and a faster-than-normal shutter speed on, gulp, Manual Setting (say that like Darth Vader). The purple wool cuffed bell bottoms, $5 at My Sister's Closet thrift boutique. All their proceeds go to Battered Women's Support Services - another great reason to shop small and local.

On the right side, my tubular wool maxi turtleneck dress, walnut colour, so comforting to wear on a cold day, like a clingy sleeping bag. And my ginormous earrings and stomping shoes. Pose borrowed from Sheila of Ephemera; I'm still in training. Remember when "tubular" was a thing? Instead of saying "Awesome!" you'd say "Tubular!" 

And above, a sample of the big earrings I've been wearing lately. The right side shows my hair before I got it cut. I always thought I couldn't wear big earrings. HAHAHA! I can and I do!! 

Yup, I've been stretching my style, trying things on, shrugging things off, always searching, always polishing that pure kernel of dissatisfaction that keeps my style eye agile. But even fleeting moments of style bliss are interrupted by the question: So what? It's not about the clothes; it's about what I do inside the clothes.

Time for some distraction with Edie Brickell: "Choke me in the shallow water before I get too deep." Listen HERE. 

I'll link up to Catherine for #iwillwearwhatiwant at her blog Not Dressed as Lamb, theme-free this week.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, YOU'S GUYS!! As I told Suzanne and Sue, I'll be spending the eve at home gnawing on white bread and sipping cartoonishly from old airline-sized bottles of wine. Hee hee.