Jacquard of all trades

A lady never overdresses or under-dresses for an occasion. Thank goodness I am perfectly attired for my self-defined, over-the-top-and-bottom occasions at all times because I'm the boss of me. 

Every jacquard of all trades requires a tool-box handbag. O gave me this one, a case for a rechargeable drill with some of the plastic dividers inside removed to make it more convenient for carrying my power tool (my journal). I painted the case white and decided I like the tool look better so I scraped off the paint before it had time to set, which gave the case a slightly beaten look - a better look. I carried this bag out for the first time today, loving the fat handle. That humungous new loupe I'm wearing is from O as well, I was double-looped.

Sixty to 70% of my clothes are now Sealed, not unlike the royal tombs of Egypt, poised for rediscovery many months down the road, hopefully with a professional team of crack Steamers on stand-by. I am missing out on all the wonderful linkups going on but it's all I can do to Dress, work, and clean at the moment (the smile above is just for show). I lurk.

I also have some AWESOME gifts I've received from blogger friends I want to share with you, one from months ago best suited for spring... Have I forgotten? NO NO!!! NEVER EVER! They all require proper tributes.

And Curtise with the Freakish Yellow Skirt...how you lift my spirits! My next post shall be a proper homage. (And that lovely maxi skirt came to me via Curtise as well, first seen here. Many extra hugs. Everything else I have on was thrifted - like Bella says, Secondhand First.)

I feel groggy...

...because that's the label of my coat.

My coat is a lovely shag carpet of delight by Groggy, very good for telling wind direction and as camouflage wear when stalking small cartoon prey. When I bought it the man behind me at the checkout said it looked like a Sesame Street massacre. Bwa-ha-ha.

Then today, an afterthought was expressed on-the-moment, which seldom happens. On my morning inspiration walk, strolling through a group of upscale, edgy, twenty-something men and women, I was suddenly bombarded by compliments on my style. Approbation from young people is very uplifting, so I smiled broadly and thanked them. Then, ten steps past, still hearing them in my wake, I stopped, spun around, and struck a pose. "How's that?" I asked. They laughed, I laughed. I thanked them again for their great energy, and continued on my way. It was a Moment.

The photo above shows my tool box for cosmetic and financial emergencies, my ghost-on-a swing pendant, and the magic loupe that O made me. You've seen the playsuit before, here.

Oh spring, oh spring... how I long for thee. Today was a wonderful harbinger of warmer days to come, sunny, bright, but still nippy, and downtown was crowded with festive St. Patrick's Day parade-goers.

Details

• shag carpet green Groggy coat, thrifted, $20!
• playsuit, thrifted
• ghost-on-a-swing pendant, from friend Monique of little lamp sculptures
• ankle boots, retail long ago
• magic loupe, O made it for me
• tool box, swiped from O
• red beret, thrifted

Thanks for your feedback on helping to date the outfit in my last post. 

I hope you are having (had) a grand weekend full of pleasant surprises. I'm skipping over to Patti's at Not Dead Yet Style for some Visible Monday joy. I hope to see you there looking fabulous as usual.

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!

But would Shackleton approve?

I popped my nose out of my ice cave for a moment and it froze. I knew I would need to wear my polar-bear camouflage coat today (aka pastel-nicotine faux fur coat) with my skirt hiked above where it should be in shameless fashion.

The uni-suspender I had made for a previous skirt (here) came in handy to prevent slacking down of this one too. In its normal waist position this skirt looks hideous, truly. It's always been a bit too roomy. I like the asymmetry of one side higher than the other. Polar adventurer, yes, but somewhat cavegirl too.
Plus, One must show off  One's New Socks  to maximum advantage. Aren't they FABulous?

These socks feature a stunning geisha motif, sadly hidden by the ankle boots which were necessary for my Antarctic trek. The kanji is about bringing good fortune. Hot, hot pink leggings also provided an extra layer of warmth under the socks. I bought a couple more pairs of socks in bright designs since they were 30% off. Would Ernest Shackleton, polar adventurer, approve?

Details

• psychedelic graphic turtleneck, thrifted
• uni-suspender, made it
• skirt, sample sale
• leggings, sample sale
• graphic socks, NEW ALERT! (no lucking thrifting babies like these)
• polar coat, thrifted
• magic loupe, O made it for me.
• ankle boots, retail, new 10 years ago

You've seen all of these pieces before except the NEW SOCKS. Oh, did I tell you I got NEW SOCKS?
I'm off to Patti's Visible Monday. I mustn't stop moving or I shall freeze in place. I'll see all you lovelies over there of course. Have a visible week!

My persnickety toe is cured! For now...
Let's keep up that positive energy force field for indomitable Sarah and her valiant love shack!!!

No cure for velvet maxi dress nostalgia

This dress was singing "American Pie" so I had to Respect the Tune by throwing lots of gew-gaws around my neck and my beret on my head, and slipping on my lace-up boots with grommets (and sneaky side zippers). I would wear this elegant dress to drive my mud-spattered pickup truck, if I had one, pedal to the metal, not because the dress is unworthy of a Rolls but because I love the contrast and would love to listen to that song on the truck's radio.

This dress has been travellin', travellin', travellin' from Terri's place (RAGS Against the Machine) in the USA to Curtise (The Secondhand Years) in the UK, where it did an abrupt U-turn back to North America and my greedy little mitts. Bwa-ha-ha. I adore it! Excited hugs and clapping with glee to Terri and Curtise for this awesome dress. In this rescue parcel (it arrived on "Day from Hell") Curtise also included a moving card and a stunning looorex capelet, as well as a brocade skirt, also of Terri origin, all of which I shall show you soon.

Details of the outfit

• homemade velvet maxi dress with a built-in lace blouse with big puff sleeves
• mantis pendant that I made; loupe that O made; beads and bracelet, old retail
• boots, thrifted
• beret, thrifted

The velvet ties on the dress are very long so I criss-crossed them in front before knotting them in back. You can see them in the next photo, which also details the accessories.

Aack! That's a big face! My lips are orangey! I would have preferred a frosted pink lipstick but alas don't have any. I'm wearing a black shirt under the dress for warmth because I wore only my brown wool wrap on top to go out. Can anyone correctly date this divine dress? "American Pie" came out in '71 and that's what came to mind. Terri?

So look out. I'm tearing down that dirt road in my pickup truck to Patti's Visible Monday. I mustn't soil my frock because I'm going dancing afterwards. I look forward to seeing what you're all wearing.

In Other News

Earlier this month beautiful Smiley Clara awarded me another Liebster Award. Thank you so much, Clara, although sadly I notice that her blog is no longer there! To fulfill at least part of the awardee obligations, I am responding to her questions below.

1. Hey, how are you feeling today? With my heart

2. What was the most inspiring thing you saw this morning? My coffee

3. If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would play you? Gloria Swanson

4. And who would play your love interest(s)? Gene Wilder

5. If you were a song, what song would you be? "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred, LOL

6. What would be your drag queen name? Miz Bagg

7. What is the best present you've ever been given? A jigsaw (among others)

8. If you could be anything in the world, what would you be? A volcano

9. What was the most romantic moment in your life? Top secret

10. What would you do with a million dollars? Spend it

11. What do you want people to know about you? I exist

Instead of naming 11 people to carry on this award, etc., I am sprinkling it like confetti over everyone with best wishes for a great week! Thank you, again, Smiley Clara. Where are you?

Oh dahlings, meet my little wittle Pucci jumpsuit

Oh dahlings, why, oh why, did I buy this $2,000 Pucci jumpsuit? Am I, as they say, fou?

But is my jumpsuit not jolie? Especially with my Miu Miu boots? In the above photo I am Puccicking in my foyer. And below I am Puccicking again at my back door. As you can see, I simply cannot let you inside - the mess is, as they say at my chateau in France, horrible.

Yes, jolly frigging right this piece is jolie. I paid 19 bucks for it at House of Vintage Fashion. Bwa-ha-ha! And it's not Pucci. Frankly, lacking a label I have no idea WHAT it is, and I don't caaaare. But I can tell you this: this polyester jumpsuit madness made me feel like far more than a paltry $2,000, especially on a rainy day.

Details of the outfit:

• vintage floral polyester jumpsuit, thrifted, House of Vintage Fashion, $19
• brown crackle leather Miu Miu boots, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Store, $9
• quilted cotton biker jacket, sample sale, Metallicus, $20?
• indigo beret, thrifted, Community Thrift Store, $10?
• magic loupe pendant, O made it for me
• black wool turtleneck, thrifted, Value Village
• fingerless knit gloves, retail ($5?), Canadian Tire automotive store

The room above is in fact dark grey, but as soon as I walked in it turned white and multicoloured tongues unfurled from the walls to blow happy raspberries at me. I swear it's true. I was drenched in fruity wall spit! 

The couple on the balcony, overwhelmed by delirious contentment gazing at my Pucciesque explosion of floral goodness as I leapt past, immediately turned to stone. Even distracted birds were flying into the walls. That's the power of style, my friends. Yup, the power of style.

Sandra, bandmate and blogger of Lens is More, and I were at it again, combing downtown for photo ops and behaving rather badly. But we have no shame... 

Pay no attention to my moustache. Whatever you do, don't look at my moustache. That black thing, don't look at it - it's not there, the black moustache thing. Kidding aside, the bronze arm under my nose makes me feel like a true artiste like Dali and ready for a sneeze at a moment's notice. See Sandra's blog for a photo of her with a moustache - if she posted it... It was her idea.

Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck. 

So much architecture to climb, so little time today. We really ought to bring a step ladder on our next outing. 

I shall be linking this post to Patti's fantastic Visible Monday at her blog Not Dead Yet Style. I missed last week - bu hao. I look forward to seeing everyone there. I hope you've all had shameless weekends. 

Have you ever had someone mistake your vintage finds for designer label apparel? I'm sure many of you have, and I admit getting a laugh when the two are confused. If I really HAD paid $2,000 for this "Pucci" jumpsuit, most of you would think I'm mad. I considered trying to fool you but in the context of this blog, that would be almost impossible! But what if all my blog's "thrifted" finds were really new designer labels in disguise? Would you think less of me?

Finally, I have been LOOOVING everyone's twee-free tulle photos! Huge hugs to Sarah at Misfits Vintage for setting off this tulletarianism! See her Tutu and a Teacup Challenge if you want to join. Liberate your inner bitch ballerina. You'll feel better. Really.