Happy upholstery coat and alley opera coat

Why am I smiling? Because I finally mastered how to fake it - even in public with a tripod and people watching. But, really, why? 

I suppose because I like the effect. I look happy. Smiling lifts the face and is a welcoming expression. "Oh, she looks fun!" I certainly recoil violently at the idea that one should smile for any reason. Clearly, in high-style/fashion photos one shouldn't smile - fashion is serious - which would make this smile a little toothy finger to the sucked-in-cheeks crowd. Heh.

You must have noticed that you usually only see women smiling/laughing or dancing in media when they're advertising cleaning products and diet yogurt? Would it surprise you to know that my hands are in my pockets to hide the callouses I get from gripping the Swiffer handle (dusting product) and the meat cleaver while preparing gourmet meals for O?

My sleeves are extra long to conceal the effects of gently sponging our dishes to sparkling newness each day and painstakingly Q-tipping the Silver and venetian blinds because that's just what one does in a phantom smile life. 

The outfit: 

• jacquard upholstery "Mad Hatter" jacket 
• mega-over-sized silk blouse 
• drop-crotch high-waisted ankle-zip pants 
• dangly earrling
• granny shoes from Sheila of Ephemera hee hee thanks 
• black knee socks

Usually a happy expression has wider appeal, like a pink pony (bleh), but you can't beat a gritty bitch look in my books. It's another finger to trendy cheek-sucking, although I confess that I enjoy cheek-sucking on occasion as well. Why limit myself? 

I wore both of these looks last week. On the day I took these alley shots I was feeling raw and introspective. I tried the big smile, I tried real hard, but even faking failed.

The outfit:

• long black velvet opera coat
• Converse laceless runners
• patched jeans
• tie-dye shirt with studs on the shoulders
• wrap belt from Kunming in China
• maxi cardigan
• big scarf
• magic loup, omnipresent

I'm a vampire again. I don't care if Halloween is over. I took a selfie and there was no one there.

I'm linking this post up to:

• Patti's VISIBLE MONDAY at Not Dead Yet Style;
• Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb;
• Anne's 52 Pick-me-up: Lemonade/Prayer/Clarity at SpyGirl. 

FINALLY, although the photo below is too grainy (I was farking with my camera), this is one of my favourite shots of the day, mostly because of the guy in the doorway behind me. Hahaha! Are you smiling? Have a good week everyone!

Rock star pants and woolly mammoth boots

Thrift-o-mania and DIY - the perfect storm. Sorry, Patti, the mood I'm in, you'll have to batten the hatches over at Visible Monday. See you there!

Highlights:

1. That sweater, I'm not sure if I've shown it to you before or not, but it was a perfectly good hideous white sweater which I fixed by stabbing holes in it, randomly tying on pieces of squiggy glitter-flecked white yarn, and stitching on a creature who is probably my best friend in that elusive seventh dimension. The sleeves were long so I cut holes in them to loop over my thumbs.

2. You've seen the rock star pants before, which debuted the day I almost met Paul Stanley from KISS. They used to be boring beige. And the Calvin Klein men's robe - floaty madness.

3. Woolly mammoth boots in maroon and black. Gaaaa! I spotted them at the thrift store unceremoniously piled in with all the Halloween costumes. I thought they'd be wildly too big because they are so mammoth-looking, but they fit just right. They said $50 on the bottom (leather and black suede, like new), yikes, but I decided, okay, I've had my eye on Demonia boots for a while and there's no harm asking for a discount. The cashier laughed and said, oh, that's not $50 - that's $15...! Notice the stacked platform soles, which makes them doubly monstrously high.

4. Jacquard jacket called The Mad Hatter. Nuff said.

Except for the tights, and sample sale blue skirt and midi cardigan (under the robe), everything in these outfits is thrifted. Green beret from fabulous Ariane at Style Sud-Est.

I made a video again. I. Can't. Help. Myself.

That's all. Hugs! Time to raid the kitchen cupboards for something sweet... Even if I'm not saying so, you guys are the best. Your positivity is astounding.

Silky and Jacquardy

This is what I wore.
I liked it very much.
The patterns are splendid.
Silky and jacquardy.

Olive Oyl boots
Not a toe box but a toe cave
Aaah.

I capped the patterns with my dark beret, gloves, and shoes.

Otherwise, these patterns would have been leaking down my limbs.

Inspired by Megan Mae and her Mori Girl styling.

Details:

silky dress, thrifted, homemade (that neon lime at the hem is the dress lining)
jacquard jacket, thrifted
beret, thrifted
Olive Oyl boots, thrifted
tights and socks, retail
gloves, retail
seafoam underskirt, thrifted
dark brown turtleneck, thrifted

Going to Visible Monday. Thanks, Patti. Hostess with the mostest.
Going to check out the lay-deez.



Jumpin' jacquard, luscious lurex, and twirling tulips

I have some special pieces I've been longing to show you in real life, but since that hasn't happened yet I decided to do a photo shoot last night. How much fun was that? - especially with these garments...

First up is a maxi skirt which I received from gorgeous Curtise of The Secondhand Years who got it from Terri from Rags Against the Machine in a circuitous transcontinental effort. (In this same package of love I also received a fabulous velvet maxi dress with a lacy sewn-in blouse featuring leg-of-mutton sleeves, here. Can you believe its amazingness?) Here is the skirt, first in closeup and then how I styled it.

Details

• vintage maxi jacquard skirt with rear zip/button enclosure, gift from Curtise and Terri
• jacquard vest, hand-me-over, downsized three sizes
• vintage jacquard jacket, thrifted, home-made (the price tag said "Mad Hatter at the Tea Party")
• aubergine silk blouse, hand-me-over, many sizes too big
• red wool beret, thrifted
• brown crackle leather Miu Miu boots, thrifted
• blue brooch, craft fair, sold as hat adornment

I wore a variation of this outfit a couple of weeks ago but was unable to photograph it that day even though I felt bee-yoo-ti-ful in it. The jacket is heavy like upholstery fabric - it can almost stand up on its own - and the skirt doesn't have any vents in the bottom which meant I had to take feminine steps thereby enhancing my wearing pleasure. My approach to this outfit was, if I'm going to wear one piece of jacquard, why not wear all my pieces at once? I call this "Runaway Chesterfield." (I always get confused between brocade and jacquard - I hope my use here is correct...)

The next piece I received in the same package. It is an absolutely delicious lurex capelet, special from Curtise. Oooh, she knows my heart well.

Details:

• crappy dreamy shoes, retail, with vintage kimono-strip laces, gift from my friend Sharron
• glitter bronze tights, retail
• lurex dress, thrifted
• lurex capelet, Curtise
• red wool beret, thrifted
• black long-sleeve under-T, thrifted

I haven't worn this ensemble out yet because the shoes, worn only once, already need sole reinforcement, hence the "crappy" descriptor, but this outfit is DEFINITELY an incentive to get that done. The capelet is very cool because it has little sleeve openings sewn into it. I would  need to wear a wrap or shawl of some kind over it for outdoors, thus adding to the drama and glamour of the sparkles.

And the finale, ta-dah, this is a gorgeous maxi dress with a tulip motif and beret which I received from awesome Ariane of Style Sud-Est.

Isn't this dress divine? At first I wasn't sure how to style it - the bodice is attached to the skirt in a zig-zag line you can barely make out in the first photo - but when I added the belt everything fell magically into place. This dress is so filmy and dreamy; it's the most fun to twirl in. You should hear the swishy sound. And the green beret, I have to thank Ariane for reintroducing me to this beautiful colour! I love it now with my white hair. The denim jacket turns this into daywear but the delicate hemline requires dry sidewalks. Thank you, Ariane!

That's all. Sorry for such a long post. I have woken up every day wondering if this is THEE day for any of these outfits and I'm glad I have finally photographed them to share with you. So hugs to Curtise and Terri and Ariane for making possible this post and my happiness wearing these amazing pieces.

When you're stumped by how to style an outfit where does you mind go first: scissors? scarves? belts? donation bin? I was tempted to shorten the dress and I'm so GLAD I resisted!!