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!

asdlkjao iapo iapri ar aoiaitp UT 9ITU ALKJLKJ LJ lj lkj okesjaogija[oijaroiuaeiaoai oaij aori[ ru ari reijrijroij aj ia[[a9u09utm09um[09eum[09eum[q09umq09

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.

Three coats for the weather-challenged

Vancouver's winter so far has been nerve-wracking: warm, cold, cool, snow, SNOW?, cold, SNOW?!! How can I keep up? These three coats show how I've been dealing with the weather.

COAT 1: White fluffy vintage parka

Weather shock rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Oh yes, frolicking at the beach, laughing and laughing, and lounging/falling-off a bug-infested log with bits of who-knows-what surrounding me. I think it's moving! Oh, it's so much fun! And it started to rain. There's a hood on this coat you can't see at this angle.

Regarding the next photo, do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a "casual" patio shot at a café using a tripod and a remote control? But do I complain? Heck, no. Never! For you, taking this photo was an absolute bungle of joy. 

Japanese music legend Motoharu Sano gave O and I this zine, which was produced for his Fruits concert tour of 1996. You know what's weird? Some people weren't even born yet in 1996. Heh.

COAT 2: Neon orange men's parka
Weather shock rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
This coat is the size of a continent, and waterproof. This first shot I call "Tangerine Wraith in the Shadows - Waiting." Are you scared?  

And warmth is always assured because I can wear my entire wardrobe under this coat with no effect on the silhouette whatsoever. Handy.

The next photo I call "The Orange." Perhaps, if you're feeling poetic, "Harvest Moon" would be more suitable. Just please, not "Mutant Cheese Ball."

This last photo is entitled "Parisienne, Cone de Traffic," not to be confused with the Cone of Silence on the show Get Smart.* Of the three looks, this last one affords me the most mobility. *Late '60s U.S. TV comedy series. The Cone of Silence muffled (amplified) top secret discussions, video clip HERE, images HERE. Watch it! Watch it! Hahaha! You'd like it, Greetje. 

The under-jacket of heavyweight sweatshirt fabric is by B.C. label Dru's Design. I bought it retail years ago (not a sponsored link). I also have on my cycling pants, an oversized Eileen Fisher top, and my beret.

COAT 3: Sandra's faux fur beast
Weather shock rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Leaning against a wall is so passé. Should we not all pose like this now? At the mall? At the dentist's office? At the market? So casual. So what-the-hey. So bring-me-a-drink. So moving right along... 

Below is the Before-I-Went-Out shot of this coat, accessorized with a hat stuffed with a scarf, the ends hanging down, and a wrappy rope thing to keep the beast's mouth shut. It was FRIGGING COLD!! 

And then the After shot, when I returned home. During my walk I got warm, warmer, warmer. FRIGGING WARM!! The outdoor temperature stayed the same; I didn't. I forgot what a workout it is simply to wear this blue tonnage. 

The key is to manage one's attire with carefree aplomb in any unexpected situation, as I demonstrate below having tucked the ruination of accessories into my bag. The coolness factor of sunglasses also ensures a smooth transition in any fashion U-turn.

THE BIG FINISH
Ta-dah!! Back to the fluffy coat on mud, a slippery slope of slimy leaves and dog poop - it's all part of the fun of blogging and perhaps even life itself. I made little condom-like covers from rubber gloves for the feet of my tripod before I went out. I'm very glad I did. I'd do that for my own feet but...

That's all for this time. Make sure you check out Natalia's styling (In The Writer's Closet) of the Freakish Yellow Skirt, stylist 34!, which I wrote about in my previous post, here. FYS has now flapped off to Texas. Thanks, Natalia!

Stay warm. Or cool, as the case may be.

I'll link something here with Patti's Visible Monday@Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike@Not Dressed as Lamb. And I'll link to Judith's Hat Attack 43@Style Crone - finally I'm wearing a hat!

________________________________________________________________________

And a HUUUGE thank you to POPSUGAR for including me as one of the "10 Fashion Bloggers Over 50 Who Completely Dominate the Style Game." See? When I say, Wear your clothes falling off or humongous menswear, am I right or am I right? Hahaha! What a surprise and honour. THANK YOU. 

Yellow Skirt Freak Show Update!! No. 34

CLICK IT

Natalia of In The Writer's Closet, Seattle, is #34 with the Freakish Yellow Skirt from the The Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show. GO, GO NOW!! Witness the magic she has wrought with this fine garment. Get ready to dance Russian-style. The full Gallery is HERE. You will be amaaazed. Thank you, Natalia, for this awesome addition to the FYS show!

Yellow Skirt Freak Show Update!! And shopping therapy

Shopping as therapy? Best medicine around for a silly week of highs, lows, and loop-de-loops. Hm, what do we have here? Mega-jumbo pills, jumbo pills... Weeny pills? Pfft - not unless they have enough carats in them to fill my sick appetite.

First dose: vintage faux suede animal print fringed jacket with zip-outable faux fur lining. Grrrr! BAAA! Chomp chomp chomp - animal print eats lamb. Oh, did I say I only paid $20? Bwahaha!! Belch. That mega-jumbo pill went down real nice. Especially with a couple mixed metaphor chasers. Mmm. Sweeet.

But no! Oh no! The mega-jumbo effect is wavering! Quick, more meds!

In the nick of time, heavens almighty - it's a new thrifted faux brocade gothy jacket with silky purple lining, lace-up back, and tails. For the low, low price of $32. Why, that's a whole wheelbarrow of feel-good therapy! If I don't put a stop to this mega-dose madness there's a good chance I'll be cured. Noooo!

Barefoot photos are best. Especially on a super-soft blankie. Lipstick and big hair, yup, that'll do. Plus, going shoeless on my snowy blanket means I don't have to disinfect my dark soul soles first.

Speaking of CURES, it's time for a Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show message.

====================================================

The Forest whispered to Her -

Sssssh. Ssssh.

Come, come, bring your magic and

that friggin' Freakish Yellow Skirt.

Hahaha-ha!!!

Ghislana of

jahreszeitenbriefe

has cast a SPELL

silence, poems, musings

DANCING

Join her

Go! GO NOW!!!

Thank you, Ghislana, for joining this travelling show! Her photos and addition to the skirt are magic. And, if you haven't seen it yet, previous FYS stylist Beate has posted all the artworks that have been added to the skirt as of March 2016. You can see them here. Thank you, Beate! 

====================================================

Now that you're refreshed, let me drag you back to the pit of Healing through Debauchery. It's the title of my latest book.

Leaping lizards! I'm definitely hopped up just thinking about that removable faux fur zippered lining. Ooooh, yeeeeah. Nyom nyom nyom.

As for the flouncy jacket, I'm not particularly gothy style-wise, but when that psychedelic angle hit me, s-w-i-p-e, MINE! Trippy! Minuet and rock 'n' rock. Dual impossible! Like how the same vitamin can come in coin-sized chewables and guinea-pig sized missiles. Choke on that, you grammarists! Who made that stupid mixed metaphor rule? I smash it joyously.

Speaking of minuets and rock 'n' roll, such sad news that Patty Duke passed away, right?

I bought that ruffled blouse at a thrift shop a few years ago and the green corduroy bell bottoms this year. The jacket sleeves have long slits and often the ruffled blouse sticks out to create a marvelous dunk-in-my-coffee, wipe-the-table-unintentionally, unpaid-cafe-helper effect.

Yes, both of the jackets are physically ample. But they fit. Just fine. These mega-jumbo pills perfectly play out the adage that one must buy quality pieces, like these, that fit well.

You may notice that a few fringes are missing, no doubt lost valiantly in battle, but that's why I love this piece even more. Quality comes in countless levels of perfection.

Well, I'll say, this therapy is working just fine. Pills and lambs and drinks and wheelbarrows and dish rags and guinea pigs and missiles. AND Ghislana in the Freakish Yellow Skirt here. Did I miss anything? I'm sure I did, so I'll have to go buy something else again next week right away.

Tah-tah. Back to normal(ish) life. Aaaah.

Thank you for your comments about my Model Life. Hahaha!! So much fun. Claire, Katrin, Vanessa, all of them are superstars! But I'm happiest in the alley.

Yellow Skirt Freak Show Update!! and pyjamas with a tie

My silk Donna Karan pyjama top, low-rise trousers, big fat '70s Pierre Cardin tie. On top I wore my burgundy faux fur maxi coat. Here's the feedback I got from strangers: "Kick a hole in the sky!" "Annie Lennox" "Diane Keaton" "Yalie" "Katherine Hepburn". Hahaha! And I was already in a stellar mood - I mean, who doesn't like to wear pyjamas with a tie to coffee? 

I probably paid less than $40 for the whole outfit, minus the coat, but I felt like a million bucks, no, 10 million with inflation. Even the marble-sized dollop of hair paste was worth its weight in gold. 

And (almost) breaking news, a Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show update:

========================================================================

========================================================================

She clutched her skirt 
and ran

and ran 

across the snow,

ready to fly -

and she did.
On the wings of the

Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show

- No. 28 -

Beate Grigutsch

bahnwärterhäuschen

Go ! Go Now !!

Number 28?! How did that happen? We just saw Sacramento at Mis Papelicos. Beate wanted snow for her shoot and the day she received the Skirt she got it. So if you weren't a believer in the magic before, are you now?! Hahaha. 

Thanks, Beate, for joining the show. So happy to have your energy in the Skirt now. Link to her blog post above. The whole gallery is HERE.

========================================================================
========================================================================

And back to my style journal...

My toe continues to persnick so these runners are a frequent go-to shoe. I wore this lovely linen Calvin Klein dress for a meetup today (Sat) - you'll find out with whom soon enough. I love the long cuffs, the way the collar stands up, and the attached narrow fabric belt that wraps around and around; plus, it feels chic and expensive. This was purchased a couple of years ago at a Value Village free-for-all with Sandra (her IG is here).

I ran into a friend in the coffee shop when I went casual a few days ago, below, hair down. He thought I looked like a teenage boy. Yay. For bundling, I wore my maxi denim coat with faux fur trim and a beret, which added a feminine snap.

I got those divine brown velvet pants from Anna of Anna's Island Style, along with a few other goodies. These pants are now favourites, so soft and dreamy. Thank you, Anna!

And the last photo, just so you know I haven't gone all conservative/monochrome on you. Well, I'm still kind of monochrome here, but you know what I mean, right? Hahaha.

I'm trying to keep up with blogging with mixed results. For now, I'll link up to:
Patti at Visible Monday, Not Dead Yet Style and
Catherine at #iwillwearwhatilike, Not Dressed as Lamb.

That's all. Make sure you go see Beate if you haven't already!! Connie of snow in the air is looking like a Hot Harridan in her latest post. And Forest City Fashionista flashes some skin, here. There's so much misbehaving going on! Hurrah.

Yellow Skirt Freak Show Update!! and more...

I was thinking the other day that some women would probably like to build a wall around me so they don't have to deal with my style. Heh.

I say this because I recently heard a few 50+ women disparage non-conformist style, which I can usually laugh off - and a little friendly back-and-forth can be a catalyst for growth - but this time they also threw in some armchair psychologizing, saying women who dress in "advanced style" are: desperate, trying too hard, insecure, loud, hurting inside, not serious, and (my personal favourite) not intelligent or smart.

Girls running in the wind with skirts hoisted, ready to fly. Acrylic on canvas paper. I painted it a couple of years ago.

Well, actually, they said "the messages the clothes are conveying are...blah blah blah." Fine line, folks, fine line. Apparently, they don't have style rules, but if you don't dress to their narrow specifications of joy and confidence, you need help. Hahaha! Too bad it's so much fun breaking those non-existent rules! I'm hoping they were just carried away. You know that never happens to me. Never! Hahaha.

Imagine if everything looked like this, except sometimes the lines are squiggy instead of straight.

So imagine how happy I was to see the Freakish Yellow Skirt fly again. Hoist them yellow sails!!! Arrrrg. And on whom?

  Sacramento! Hurrah!   

  Mis Papelicos - No. 27  

Marching band. Ticker-tape parade.

She's the doyenne of Free Styling, 

life-embracing, joy-jumping, 

sproingy wonder. 

See her here. And in the gallery here.

Thank you, Sacramento, for joining this ride!

After the style lambasting incident, which took me by surprise, I was feeling very down about blogging in general and, to my shame, about the Freakish Yellow Skirt, no joke - I thought my faux fur gave me thicker skin than that - but as I was updating the Freakish Gallery of

 27 WOMEN!!! 

from all over the world 

that bitter taste in my mouth turned minty fresh, the air suddenly smelled like spring flowers with a whiff of pine trees, bluebirds started nesting in my hair, a fuzzy dice pendant appeared around my neck, and a baby deer tried to sit on my lap. It was magical, wonderful pastoral mayhem.

OOM means, "This crab hand position sucks!"

In the nick of time the Freakish Yellow Skirt and Sacramento leapt in and saved the day!

So let me pass on this wisdom: when someone interprets your joyful style as a seething mass of desperation and unhappiness, it's time to start handing out those rose-tinted glasses from the dollar store. Emergency!! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there's some really weird stuff going on out there.

It's called the Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show because joy wins over freak labels every time - I hope. As the original skirt post from 2012 says, the skirt represents "positivity and solidarity" among everyone who dresses with happiness, whatever your definition. We celebrate style in all its forms. Right? RIGHT?!

Let's be clear: no walls. 

The skirt will soon be winging its way to Beate in Germany. Her awesome blog is HERE. She's a fierce art woman.

And more news...
I was on a photo shoot today, a real one with a photographer and a stylist, a prelude to a professional gig coming up next month. Bwahaha! I don't like all the baggage that comes with the word model so I shall say I was a clothing host for some garments designed and made by uber-talented Claire Cormeau, who saw my blog and asked if I would showcase her designs. You can find her HERE.

The turtleneck has merino wool and the asymmetrical tailored jacket felt like an expensive dream. Claire even designed the bracelet, which her partner manufactured with 3D printing. Amazing. The pants/shoes belong to the clothing host. The shoot was only for the waist up; these are fun out-takes.

I should have slathered on some hand cream last night. Auch - hopefully, everyone is looking at the bracelet.

That's all. I hope you have a great week everyone. I'm linking up to:
Patti: Visible Monday, Not Dead Yet Style, and;
Catherine: #iwillwearwhatilike, Not Dressed as Lamb.
Thank you, Patti and Catherine, for these style refuges just when I need them most.

And I'll link up to Anne at SpyGirl for 52 Pick-me-up: Sky Blue/Expansion/Connection. Just my earrings are sky blue. That counts, right?

Rain. Big shoes. Umbrella. Blur.

Day 1, above: Light rain. Big wind. Coffee. Hot cross bun. Umbrella. And shoes high enough to keep my feet out of the water - although there were no puddles yet. This is exactly how I looked when I got home, complete with the dregs of real coffee in my cup, satisfyingly non-fruity. 

Except for the flash-frozen shot, these are stills from a video clip. Wind is motion, clothing in chaos. With rain it brings on a Mr. Bean jig with juggling and swearing. There was no way I could hold still for a self-timer beep beep beep and static snap after that slapstick trip home. The robe is reversible and flaps brilliantly, which is a treat when it's sunny and breezy. In rain and high wind? Not so much. Still, it was worth the wear.

Day 2, above: More video stills. The blur of the mood I'm in spits on photo quality. 

This is me on the runway. I suppose it's called a runway because if anyone gets in the way they get run over. Mine is in the garbage room atelier, and with no traffic I won't be making sudden stops, although my brake pads are in top shape; my hydraulics, on the other hand, could use a top-up, and minor body work wouldn't hurt either.

A while ago I took in the waist of these palazzo pants about three sizes for a smart fit, then this morning I ripped the new seam out. Feck smart; hip-slung style gives me 'tude. That black and white photo is looking slightly Nosferatu-ish. Good thing I had my hot cross bun on Friday. 

I heading over to Patti's Not Dead Yet Style, Visible Monday. I'll probably see you there.

PS I have the Freakish Yellow Skirt. I've had her for a while now and have been wondering what's next other than an Official Update post. Any ideas? I think I'll probably send her out again. She is magnificent!!

Yellow Skirt Freak Show Update!!

(excerpt from Jane's post)

No longer a shiny turd, I'm a 

ShinY-SouL DancinG

In a skirt made for freaks and that's ME......

sEE mE pRAncIng!

J A N E  at

FLIGHT-PLATFORM LIVING

The bunnies and chicks spied the yellow hue of new SPRING

and came out to PLAY, oh the smiles they did bring!

We danced and we span and we were joyous to be in this club

the YELLOW SKIRT FREAK SHOW 

is such a great 

hullabalubb!

______________________________________________

Jane is No. 17 with the skirt. Think of those air miles. And Jane, we never thought you were a shiny turd with bitch voices. Bwa-ha-ha. You'll have to read her post to know what I'm talking about. So GO, GO NOW. Read Jane's tale. You won't be disappointed. Thanks so much, Jane!

Yellow Skirt Freak Show Update!!

footlights glare, the drum rrrrolls

the DIVA in the FREAKISH YELLOW SKIRT SHOW 

the rilly rilly big shew

grinds to gasps 

the awe-fullness of its magical spendour lifts the 

house of gawps, sweaty gulps, glassy-eyed stares

enraptured, captured as

================ 

S K Y E 

"burlesque bizarre"

at My Kingdom for a Hat

================ 

dewy fresh hedonism at its best

each gyration sprinkling fresh orbits

of magic & promise

Look Skyeward, the stars part

G O !   G O   N O W !!

__________________________________________________________________

Thanks so much, Skye, for your absolutely fresh way with the yellow skirt, lots of tart lemon and sparkle. Everyone, you have to see it and her fantastic stitched-on addition!

And many thanks and hugs again to Shelley, Forest City Fashionista, as our skirt's outstanding stage manager. Mwah! FYS has been on the road for over a year now (can you believe it?) and the show continues...she flies across the sea...