Bag and a Beret: floral maxi

Showing posts with label floral maxi. Show all posts

Sunday, 21 September 2014

A cool colour snap

Stains, tiny holes, and a frightening little rrrip as I reached behind to pull the zipper through the home stretch. Truly, pulling rear zippers and reaching for things are the biggest dangers when wearing fragile vintage pieces; I should have known better... But all these little flaws are the tangible tracks a life lived in this gorgeous maxi, which features an empire waist, a silky pink lining, and a flowing sheer shell with appliqued flowers. Probably once wore to a wedding or Sweet 16 party, I punked it up for day wear with my platform runners and diamond-encrusted meteorite pendant. For such a demure dress, she sure makes a racket with that silk-on-silk swishing.

Below is evidence that I actually wear the clothes I photograph in the garbage atelier, concrete stairwell, and parking garage. My friend Sharron, whom I've featured on my street style blog a couple of times, emailed me this photo she snapped on her phone on the sly as I was leaving the coffee shop. Thanks, Sharron. And maybe you also recognize my partner in style parkour adventures in the background.

You can see from this photo how the dress billows so sweetly. Some clothes are made to move, others to photograph; this is definitely the former. I had so many compliments, probably a record - the positive energy swirling around these fluttering flowers is undeniable. I'm glad I finally took her for an outing.

thrifted vintage homemade maxi party dress

platform runners

carrying thrifted denim jacket

vintage sunglasses on my head

gifted toolbox hand bag from O

meteorite diamond-encrusted pendant, vintage, gift

magic loupe made by O

spare kitty head from my journal

I realized on my way home that this is the last formal day of summer in this hemisphere (written Sat), which got me thinking about how when autumn hits people suddenly start wearing clothes the colour of detritus, decay, mould, and fungus. During dark months wouldn't it make sense to wear clothes that are bright and cheerful to counteract the negative suction power of dark coldness? Or maybe people can't stand colour in winter because it would be mean, like a taunt from sunnier days. In reality, long ago we probably dressed in colours to match the seasons as camouflage so we wouldn't get knocked off by enemies or hungry beasts. Where I live now, that's not too much of a concern, but the hiding behaviour persists. I like the colours of decay too, but nothing beats the buoyancy of a full-blast colour snap.

I'm linking this outfit up to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style, her blog. (Whew, I almost forgot to activate the link.) It's the perfect garden party dress. I have pearls, white pointy shoes, and white gloves for this dress, but I like the sweet punk-ass version waaay better. Maybe I'll see you there. Thanks for stopping by Bag and a Beret, my sweets!

Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Promise of spring skress

What I'm wearing was originally snowy white, but as soon as I stepped outside all the shy spring flowers in the ground instantly bloomed and hurled themselves with vigor onto my dress. What a shock!

When I found this garment in my local thrift shop I thought it was a strapless dress. When I got it home and tried it on, it was apparent I had purchased a skirt. No mind. I hauled out my trusty uni-suspender and MADE it be a strapless dress - so now it's a skress, wearable as a skirt or a dress.

Details of the outfit

skirt (skress) called "Modern Day Geisha" in "Watercolour Print," Spring 2012 sample, Debbie Shuchat design, with tags, retail $195. Moi? $15
black boat-neck under T, thrifted
uni-suspender worn halter style, made it
quilted cotton biker jacket, sample sale
red wool beret, thrifted
black tights, retail
ankle boots, retail way back
magic loupe and pendant, O made them for me

This skirt feels all silky wonderful and it was made in Canada. I love the bias cut and twirliness. Swish, swish, swish, oooh, feeel my legs! Even the earthworms came crawling out to see this promise-of-spring skress.

This outfit will just squeak in for Patti's fantastic Visible Monday. Yay!

I have been invisible in the blogging world recently. I'll be in and out for the next month or so as well...duty calls. Also, I just realized that a couple of days ago marked one year of exposure on my blog. What a scary step it was starting Bag and a Beret. Tremendous hugs to all of you for making this such a rewarding experience!! You guys are the BEST! I'd like to do a Thoughtful post, but it must wait...Still you all shine and shine and shine. Stay warm or cool, as the case may be... And stay GORGEOUS!

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Deep Floral Haze

Fabulous Sarah at Misfits Vintage declared this FLORAL WEEK, rather "arbitrarily" and only lasting as long as she felt like it - that's my kind of Floral Week. Doesn't she look fabulous in that floral-splashed coat that Vix gave her?

Today was dark and dreary so I decided that perhaps a little floral therapy would be good medicine. I stumbled to my closet - think of me here as Pig-Pen in Charlie Brown both in my state of mind and dress - and tugged out this maxi dress, praying for floral healing powers. Then, SHAZAM, POOF!

Suddenly I awoke and the world embraced me, it drew me to her bosom and whispered, "My pet, we are one again." Aglow, I skipped downtown with beatific joy until a smiling gentle soul greeted me with, "Snap out of it, biotch!" Bwa-ha-ha. No, that didn't happen at all. But the florals did pick up my mood. I'd say those sneaky flowers reduced my grumbling by, oh, 50 percent, which is pretty darned good.

Details of the ensemble:

vintage homemade maxi dress, thrifted
ankle boots, retail
white maxi slip, thrifted
black coat, retail
red wool beret, thrifted
oversized aubergine silk blouse, hand-me-over

I always look like that photo above when I'm cold, my collar turned up as high as possible, as if that's going to make the cold go away.

So happy florals! I found a few other florals growing in my closet while I was rooting around. I never know what I'll turn up. I hope you're all having a great week. I love that song Deep Purple. Bring it on!

Monday, 20 August 2012

Must we all be sexy and wicked sick?

I am so tired of the word sexy I want to scream!! Sexy's rightful home is in the brain and so far they don't make lacy push-up brain bras, although Dear Helen Hartman has made a lovely "bullet-bra bonnet" from a bisected football. Must I wear lingerie in public (although I sometimes do that), swan about with my eyes half-closed (I do that too), and talk with a husky voice, which I only do when I'm coming down with something nasty ("Oh, Doctor, she has a bad case of wicked sick Sexy") or when I'm trying my hardest to be uber-cool and end up sounding uber-stupid, to qualify as sexy by mainstream standards?

So I surrender to sexiness. My Visible Monday outfit today at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style, as below, is not only uber-sexy, but it's also a wickedly-ill seasick ensemble of red, purple, pink, and orange.

Whose heart would not beat faster at the sight of this bright floral-patterned maxi dress with clashing pantyhose-fabric neon-pink top and hat? Of course my amour-red beret is keeping a lid on all that exploding brain sexiness - I wouldn't want it just spewing out at innocent bystanders on the sidewalk. And the wickedest sick part of today's outfit is the Heart bag, which I have had for a while but don't often use because the shape is very inconvenient and I have to carry a shopping bag to hold most of my sexy accoutrements, like pencil crayons and my reading glasses. I was going to wear something conservative, but then my overwhelmingly ill outfit compelled me to enter this forbidden Garden-of-Eden post-apple sinscape of sexiness.