Is that a pistil in my corolla?

Springtime in the city. Clearly it was time for me and partner-in-crime Sandra of Lens is More to do a little style parkouring again, climbing, hiding, exploring...

Pics of me were taken by Sandra.

Details:

pearl-pink satin palazzo pants with rear zip, vintage new old stock, thrifted, $10

pastel floral chiffon peignoir, vintage, thrifted

neon orange sleeveless ruffle blouse, thrifted

white T-shirt, Gap, retail, customized by me

platform sandals, Steve Madden, thrifted

chain belt, thrifted

crazy socks, retail, I'll show you later

pink eyebrows, heh heh heh 

white hair, Angel at C:EHKO hair salon

 White hair, pink brows - although the hair looks a wee bit flat here.

When I got my hair whitened about seven months ago, I felt very badass. But look at me now - all flowers and spring and sweetness. "Oo, lovelies, a lavenderish heaven-sent breeze swept gentle kisses of chiffon wisps and big-honking-pant flaps around me until I was enveloped in a delicately throbbing cloud of 'Help! I can't see where I'm going. I can't walk in these feckers. Are we there yet?'...(me channeling Miz Bagg)." I was tremendously comforted knowing I had brought along backup flats and half a box of bandaids, neither of which were needed. I had planned to bring backup pants too in case of a palatial-sized palazzo-pant wardrobe malfunction, but forgot.

Playing in the rock garden. "Oh, Mighty Isis, I summon thee."

If Miz Bagg's wardrobe trailer had accompanied us today, I would have demanded that her cracked team of stylists steam these satin pants before the shoot. The palazzos looked good when I first put them on, but after coffee, a chocolate-chip cookie (home-baked by Sandra), and a satisfying chin wag at my favourite coffee shop, the crotchal area looked like a giant accordion, which recalls neither the genre nor rhapsody of music one would prefer there. 

Peaceful Rock Garden of Divine Meditation

(aka Boulders in Reeking Hideaway under Bridge)

This plain white Gap T-shirt had been kicking around my closet for many years, seldom worn. Then last night while watching Poirot I decided to rough it up a little with my Sharpie (permanent marker). The character is me, shrugging, standing in a pile of clothes. On the left it says bagandaberet and on the right, melanie. Now I love this piece, although I don't know if it will wash. Don't care. I should research fabric markers/paint because I like drawing on my clothes. Do you have any recommendations?

I also put a great photo of Sandra here on my street style blog today. Check out her wrap in gold "lammay" (the accent mark doesn't work and it definitely wasn't "lame"). I discovered it time-sealed in a treasure chest by a buddy of mine. If I cleaned it out for him I could keep what I liked - win-win.

Oh, look, it's Mighty Isis! 

And I wore the outfit below last week. This was my original outfit of choice for meeting Sheila (Ephemera) and L, which was nixed at the last minute by cold weather. Clicky heels on the boots, yeeah, that made me feel very badass, even though I hadn't had my hair bleached out yet. And I adore swinging that little granny bag around, it packs a whallop. 'Scuse me, 'scuse me - smack.

Details

sleeveless off-white groovy dress with rear zip, vintage, thrifted

sleeveless black sparkle catsuit, front zip with O-ring in back, thrifted

leopard print shrug with faux fur collar and cuffs, and pink satin lining, thrifted

voodoo pendant and ghost-on-a-swing pendant, gifts

ankle boots, retail long ago

heart bag, thrifted

granny bag, gift

gloves, Canadian Tire automotive store, decapped by me

wool beret, thrifted

I added the yellow faux fur and black fringe for length and voluptuousness. Hand sewing, ladies!

Sparkle, baby, sparkle.

I'm slightly disheveled in these photos - I had just returned from my inspiration walk and exertions with my granny bag. I usually snap my photos before I go out. This catsuit leaves a little trail of sequinny bits wherever I go. How romantic.

Sorry this post is so darned long. Blame it on my florified badass self. I hope you are all having a marvellous weekend full of chocolate and meat and/or vegetables and fruit, with refreshing beverages. Cheers. I'm linking for sure to Patti, She-Ra of Garden Parties, for Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. I look forward to seeing you there. Get ready to polka!

I woke up this morning with white hair!!

...that's because I had it "done" yesterday (as if it were somehow unfinished before). I had forgotten the pleasures and discomforts of sitting in a salon for 2.5 hours. This platinum is actually a primer coat for bright red, then shades of brown on my way to dark brown. I may get sidetracked along the way, but that's perfectly fine too because there are NO RULES!! in Style Universe.

A few weeks ago I ran across some (old)?! photos of me wearing my hair like this in Tokyo about 25 years ago and was obviously hitnotized. At the outset of my inspiration walk yesterday morning I suddenly found myself making a detour into the salon. Thankfully, Angel received me with open arms. (He's my colourist.)

The artworks engulfing me are all fairly recent.

For a change I belted my tunic and wore high knee socks over my jeggings. From a distance it looks like I'm wearing tall boots. I call this look "irritating chic." When I walk down the street in this, swinging my flirty little candy heart, I think, "Ohayou, genki desu-ka? (Mornin' y'all, how are ya? in Japanese) Mwah, mwah, mwah (Kiss, kiss, kiss, in Vapidese, I'm fluent.)"  Let's all send Miss Simmonds some good vibes so she can go to Japan too!

Details of this outfit:

• stretchy wool-blend black tunic, Metallicus sample sale
• riding-pant jeggings, retail (suedine inset runs down inner leg)
• knee socks, retail
• brown crackle-leather Miu Miu boots, laces with side zips, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Store
• belt, purchased in Kunming, China, mid-80s

This weekend bandmate Sandra and I will be working on visuals for our "travesty-of-music" video. We call ourselves Just Bad Enough. Listening to the latest mix, I think we should be called Smut Mouth. If I'm brave I'll post the clip. Trust me, we're more than just bad enough!

I hope you'll all be doing something fabulous this weekend, and looking good doing it!! Three cheers for NO RULES.

Good outfit posts require a neutral background...

I used this neutral backdrop to bring out the subtle patterns and muted palette of this outfit. Bwa-ha-ha.

This is my Breakfast in the Himalayas look. In this outfit I can also imagine sharing hot apple cider and chocolate croissants with Indy Jones in an alpine chalet. I don't know why exactly but this ultra-polyester paisley vest turned inside-out and worn with my beret always elicits references to the Himalayas and Tibet. Last I checked these were not fashion staples there. Maybe it has something to do with the soft leather belt strapped around my upper torso or the capris?

You'll note the double-bagging, courtesy of a reminder from the magnificent Desiree about the joys of doubling your bag pleasure. My love affair with the heart bag continues...

Details of this outfit

• silk blouse, several sizes too big, hand-me-over
• leather belt, thrifted from Value Village
• vest, inside-out, several sizes too big, thrifted from True Value Vintage for pennies
• capri pants, side zip, consignment shop Turnabout
• patent leather shoes, thrifted from True Value Vintage for pennies
• heart bag, thrifted from Wildlife Thrift store
• brocade bag, gift for plant-sitting

The secret to this outfit is my shoes, which have invisible hydrofoils on the bottom so I don't actually have to walk, I just skim the top of the sidewalk. And I didn't have to pay extra for that!

The backdrop is courtesy of some mischievous elves who broke into my studio the other night intent on creating me a decent neutral backdrop for some professional-quality studio photos. Weren't they sweet? I don't think they're finished yet - a little more neutrality is definitely required. (Aren't elves that visit in the night supposed to make me new shoes!?)

I'll be prancing about in this outfit at Patti's stupendous Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. I must see you there. Hugs, everyone.

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.

Details of the outfit

• thrifted maxi dress with ruffles removed, Wildlife Thrift Store
• thrifted red beret, Community Thrift Shop
• thrifted red shoes, Hush Puppies, Value Village
• thrifted heart bag, Community Thrift Shop
• thrifted vintage neon-orange/pink sunglasses, Gastown shop

So a big Heart from Ms. Bag to everyone. Happy Visible Monday. Patti, you rock as hostess of your wonderful weekly party. This week I'm spiking the punch (more than usual). Of course I had a head schtart...hiccup.

My next post will (re)introduce you to 11 fabulous bloggers as part of my Liebster Award from Lovely Lyosha at Inside and Outside.