High-low hair, clothes to greet autumn, and big thanks

Excellent - time for another blog post, the best procrastination around! Especially when I fiddle faddle with my photos. Like this:

Autumn is officially here in this hemisphere. And I know that elsewhere, you're breathing a huge sigh of relief now that you've hit summer weather. 

I'm particularly happy to see this autumn, having not been blown up by men with big toys. Aren't you? (Oops, did I just write that?)

If you've been wanting to wear something outrageous and been too afraid, now is the time to put it on and fill yourself and the world with positive energy.

Below, a close-up. Except for this fabulous hand-made scarf by Sevya, which Sherry of Petite Over 40 gave me, these are all things you've seen before, worn in a different combination.

The coat laces up the back corset-style and dips low. Plum, purple, eggplant, aubergine. What's not to love? And that's an old striped dress/tunic and my Rip Curl pants from My Sister's Closet, where I find so many of my treasures. Finally, my magic loupe by O.

Really, the whole thing is so over-the-top that your eye starts to see it as neutral, don't you think? I definitely walk with mega-'tude when I wear this. And I swung around my toolbox hand bag from O, not shown here, like I was somewhere far more glamourous than on my way to the supermarket in search of frozen corn.

For example, in this outfit I imagine hunching over a huge glass desk in the loft of my converted monastery, writing psychedelic poetry or a pop opera called, say, Menopausoff, with a quill pen, with a purring black cat on my lap, my manuscript illuminated by a battery- or solar-powered candle. Modern concessions. Lots of treats are on hand as well, for me and kitty.

And a HAIR TRICK.

The photo below was taken by the very talented Vancouver Barbara when we went to the Rennie Collection in Chinatown for a tour of Bob Rennie's works by Ian Wallace, a renowned local photo/conceptual artist, a genre Vancouver is famous for. It's exactly the kind of intellectual art that constipated me for several decades after I studied it.

There was a faded candid Polaroid of the artist sleeping called Artist at Work. "Genius," everyone enthuses. "$$$!" the artist enthuses. Hahaha. Of course, it's the historical context of its invention that makes his work endure, as is the case with much art. [Edit: And the artist's continuing development of and passion for the work.]

And, yeah, good on him for making a self-admitted throwaway a collectors' item. How can I do that? Anyone interested in my old sweatsocks? If I call it art, will it be so? 

Uh-oh, I need my journal for some Kitty/Turnip Head sketching to cleanse myself of such thoughts. But I enjoyed revisiting my past and debriefing at The Sylvia with Barbara after the tour.

[Edit: I attended a talk by Ian Wallace at the gallery on Oct 4 and I'm so glad I did. It was wonderful seeing the passion he has for his work. Beauty in all its forms was a phrase that kept coming to mind.]

Note the short hair? Haircut by O. He's so good at it! 

Barbara's direction to me at the gallery was, go sit on the those stairs and look sad. I did, and a couple more looked really, really sad, yes, tragic even. And we of course burst out laughing between shots, oh so unladylike!

And what's that on my legs? Beige?!! I was readying my black tux pants when suddenly I thought, gaaa, too much black, and grabbed these: Missoni, perfect fit, knit, with cuffs, also from My Sister's Closet. They were perfect with this brown Pierre Cardin tie, Windsor-knotted, and my velvet blazer.

My first run-in with these pants was HERE, a post called "Clothes the Colour of Porridge."

My hair looks really short up there, right? But below is that same short cut styled into peaks. Who would have guessed? O cut it so I could wear it both pixie and foppish. I love being able to play with these divergent looks.

In other news - 

Sherry interviewed O by email and wrote an amazing post on his art and magic loupe, HERE. Her writing is truly professional and expresses his views so well. Her generous support of his art is amazing. And she's got fantastic style. I LOVE that red lipstick!

And another huge hug is in order for Sylvia of 40+ Style, who put up an Instagram post on the stainless steel/synthetic ruby ring she bought from O.  Thank you so much for including it in a movie clip on your Instagram, below.

If you want a loupe or ring like these, head over to O's Etsy shop, OSK Micro-art Studio.

OOTD featuring a new ring by @bagandaberet's husband. Be sure to check their Etsy store for details. Also featuring @antelopeshoes @stellacarakasi @cosstores . Link to pants is at 40plusstyle.com/wiw. Also don't forget free style challenge starts tomorrow. Click link in profile for details. #womenover50 #womenover40 #styleinspiration #40plusstyle #style

A post shared by Sylvia van de logt (@40plusstyle) on Sep 20, 2017 at 9:42am PDT

I'll link up with Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style (with her cast off!), and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb. I'll bring the drinks. Patti will sing.

And that's it for another week. Stay clean. Stay fed and watered. Stay happily clothed whenever possible. And most of all, stay positive. I'm doing my best here.

Party of one, '30s style

Spy Girl Anne's 52-Pick-me-up '30s theme, bias cut and slinky.

Ooo, biatch face. Well, can you blame me after flying off to Paris for breakfast every morning for the past week on my personal Concorde? (It's the only one that was not decommissioned - parking is a challenge.) It's exhaaaausting, even with my flight steward Ferdinand to keep me entertained. Maybe I'll have sausages in Italy next week.

I made a post for these pics on Dec. 30 this year but couldn't bear to publish it, I don't know why. 

This maxi dress was $20 (or less? can't remember) marked down from akazillion dollars. Given its hideousness I can understand the need for the retailer to get it off their premises as quickly as possible. Heaven forbid anybody would actually don said hideous dress for swanning about their home for an evening of eating barbecue potato chips. Were I to dine on vanilla pudding, I'd have put on my white mink and diiiamonds as well.

My secret is out - I live on a cardboard stand which is rather inconvenient in a rain storm. This also explains why I am so two-dimensional. Clearly I was still doing Mel-in-a-box. 

I shall wear this dress outside for my morning inspiration walk when the weather warms up, maybe with a denim jacket or a kimono-type thingy and my black glitter platform shoes, also from said retailer's reject rack. In these photos I'm wearing my clear plastic-strappy sandals with clear acrylic heels - sorry no pics, I was concentrating on the dress, the MAN BROWS, and just enough makeup overall to make this an appropriate potato chip Occasion, oh, and it was New Year's Eve.

So I got to use these photos after all. Thanks, Anne.

Do you ever trash your posts? I've done it once before too, a post called My Worse Blog Post Ever Contest. I opened it but took it down about 15 minutes later. Miz Bagg wanted to see your worst. I decided I wasn't in the mood after all. But hey, feel free to join even if it's not official.

My Isadora Duncan spooky photo

Channelling Isadora Duncan for Anne's link-up at Spy Girl - Go with the Flow: Long, Loose, and Drapey.

While I was in this outfit I felt lithe and also like a big tropical fruit, but able to kick ass as well with these madly fringed sandal-boot contraptions. I wore the purple garb, which is a kimono-like cover-up, even though I would have preferred flinging it dramatically about my person while gasping and sighing with theatricality like a bullfighter in a chiffon showdown at a fabric shop surrounded by shoppers watching me dazedly, perhaps aghast, with their children pulled in protectively by their sides. Ole!

But looking at the first photo, the desaturated one, I felt very Izzy D. I can almost hear the Victrola playing in the background. Although a beach setting would have been much better for this vibe. 

What I'm wearing:

• filmy see-through orange maxi dress, thrifted
• reddish slip with neon-orange lace trim worn over the dress, thrifted
• green shag carpet sandal-boots, retail mega-sale
• purple leopard-spottish kimono-style jacket thingy, retail mega-sale
• black and white beaded neck pouch, thrifted
• broken wrist watch tied around my neck, vintage, new gift when I was 15?
• magic pendant and loupe, O made them for me

I cover my arms most days because I don't like sunscreen and my skin needs a break from the rays after too many years as a sun worshipper. This is probably my palest summer ever but I'm starting to warm to the idea. 

And of course my heart also belongs to Patti, Visible Monday, so I'm linking to her fantastic garden party in my previous post featuring my Warhol hair and me-as-a-product clothing. I think my hair was shiny in those photos because I didn't put any product on it and I combed it properly for the first time in months - I usually only finger-comb my hair. Also, I used a colour-revitalizing shampoo called, fetchingly, "Silver - Color Cocktail," by C:EHKO. My hair also maybe looks whiter because the contrast between my roots and the bleached hair is more noticeable now.

I'll see you at Patti's and Anne's. Keep cool. Keep warm. This hemisphere action is groovy.

An alien and a monster truck and a prairie dog

I found myself between these two, sucking up the sunshine, baby!

The chain-link fence around that lot was unlocked today so I couldn't help myself...

I wore my see-through sequined wedding-dress type thingy, thrifted. Underneath I wore the maxi white slip that came with the dress, my thrifted vintage black lacy slip, and then my thrifted boatneck T. Around my neck is magic jewellery that O made for me. And I wore mustard tights and my fringy wild green boots. Having just met a big deadline I knew these boots and sequins would be perfect for my inspiration walk.

The last time I wore this dress was in September, in my studio, with my ancient faux leather hot pants, whose fate may be similar to my blue boots...

I'll be joining Patti of Not Dead Yet Monday at her Visible Monday. So glad you're back, Patti. Looks like you had a great time in NYC. I'll see you all there. I'm frightfully behind on my commenting and shall be visiting everyone this week. 

OTHER STUFF

I was intending to post the next outfit earlier this week but felt that I couldn't break way from work long enough to stick it up, despite the fact that I had already done the writing. It's a fairly casual look for me, comfy, yet colourful.

I'm just a prairie dog...

...popping my head up for a quick check around before dipping back down to my den to toil. Such little weeny paws tippy-tapping on the keys. Oh how I sometimes miss my vintage manual typewriter, the satisfaction of the delicate end-of-line "ping" followed by the table-shaking THWAP of a mighty carriage return.

Details:

silky lime-green patterned blouse, thrifted

blue stretchy skirt, sample sale

riding pant jeggings, retail

maxi cardigan, sample sale

boots, retail long ago

magic loupe, O made it for me

Indeed, I was certainly feeling chipper during recess earlier today when I went out with O for a bite. In fact, he snapped these photos for me when we got home. The instruction for the above photo was, "Look neutral. Neutral is best." He should have said, "Look like a prairie dog." Then I cooperated for the next neutral photo.

LOOK AT MY BOOTS! Ah, yes, the process of decrepitudinization. On their first outing newly blue they had cracked within a block of home. I didn't though - I was braced for it. The gesso primer didn't help. In future I would go with regular acrylic housepaint primer, although stretchy vinyl and flocked whatever-the-hell-that-is are never good substrates at the best of times. 

When I got home the zipper teeth on one boot separated from the fabric backing half-way down so I had to the tug the boot off my foot without fully unzipping it. But I'm not done yet - I have many more liberating plans for these lovelies. My foot passengers love these vehicles. Drive on, my good woman.

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Maxi dress across the universe

Such a huge job for such a wee maxi dress - transporting me across the universe - all for the low, low price of $4.99 at local fabric mecca Dessew.

The dress is a new old stock garment made of jersey knit fabric so the plasticization effect that often occurs with old polyester is not quite as deliciously cringeworthy as it would be with a heavier-weight fabric. The triad of blue, striped middle, and bottom are cleverly sewn into unified magnificence. I love the shoulder pads in this too, which is odd because it's one of the first items to go when I buy a period piece. 

Obviously I am continuing the space theme I started a couple of posts ago. I carried my gold bag out again to protect from cosmic rays, but I think in this dress I am impervious to meteor showers, cosmic rays, and other such space matters - except Dr. Spock.

Details of the outfit:

• new old stock maxi dress, fabric shop Dressew
• long-sleeved black T under short-sleeved dress
• black tights, retail
• Frump heels, retail
• universe, free for all

It looks like I'm falling from one world into another and orange energy is spewing out of my head. I sometimes feel like the expression on my face. 

I didn't retouch these photos except to crop them - I simply curled onto my painting's surface on the floor under my camera, which was balanced (precariously!) on its tripod jammed into the painting rack. I don't have a remote so running back and forth with the timer was challenging - especially when the shot demanded absolute repose in the galaxy enveloping me.

Below is an excerpt of lyrics from the Beatles song Across the Universe:

Images of broken light

Which dance before me like a million eyes

They call me on and on across the universe

Thoughts meander like a restless wind 

Inside a letter box 

They tumble blindly as they make their way

Across the universe

I did that painting a few years ago. It's big, and until now I never much cared for its galactic imagery; now I love it. If you've got art you are not fond of, try putting it on the floor and rolling around on it - and photographing the process. I guarantee you'll feel differently about it afterwards...

Gorgeous Patti is hosting her magnificent Visible Monday again. Of course Monday's there are great, but her blog is welcoming any day of the week: Not Dead Yet Style.

PS - If you couldn't watch my band's (Just Bad Enough) debut "music" video on your system, I've put it on YouTube. Fabulous Miss Simmonds commented already because I gave her a sneak peek, but sadly I took down the original (and her comment - so sorry!) because I reposted it with better quality. So if you haven't seen it yet and want to question my taste even more, go have a look. Watch out for Language.

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.

I'll have some fries and an ice cream sundae with this dress

This has got to be one of my favourite outfits ever - and I'm linking it to Patti's fantastic Visible Monday. I thrifted this beautiful maxi cheongsam-style dress a couple of days ago for $11. It was made in the UK, Monsoon label, which I have seen before on other blogs. The fabric stretches so there are no zips and the dress has great give.


I chose these patent leather vintage shoes to enhance the old-world vibe humming from the dress, and I wore an Indian-motif blue top underneath against the chill. I love the blue clash between the top and my turquoise tights. For another twist I added the blue beaded brooch which I bought at a craft sale from the hat lady who had intended it as a hat accent. And I topped the outfit with my bright red head bangle to jangle with the crimson. Youch. Feelin' good.

You can see how this dress might move below. There's a wickedly daring slit up one side, which, apart from the chill, was another reason for the tights. Click, click, click - I traipsed clear across town in these kitten heels.

Do I look like I'm walking?

Details of the outfit

• Monsoon dress, thrifted, Community Thrift Store, $11
• patent leather shoes, vintage, $10?, True Value Vintage (gone now)
• turquoise tights, sample sale
• blue India-print top, thrifted, Value Village about 8 years ago
• bag, gift from Singapore for plant-sitting

I wore this to the art opening of SPLASH at Baron Gallery, the exhibit of the work done by my action painting workshop participants, although it would be equally appropriate for a picnic or moon dance. What a great turnout we had. Positive energy was bouncing off the walls - so I pocketed the leftovers and carried it home to snack on later, or rather, it carried me home...

Have a great week, everyone. Don't forget to breathe...

Remedy for too much pattern

This dress had too much pattern for my liking so there was only one thing I could do: add more pattern. I desperately needed a distraction from the florals, and I found the solution in my lovely satin Oriental top with its own groovy motif. I added the little velvet tie belt to disrupt the red field on my torso and unify the overall flow. The pattern riot is then anchored by black shoes and Trusty Beret.

When I thrifted this dress for about a dollar it had big stiff ruffles lined with bright pink satin around the cuffs and hemline - hideously fun but seriously too hideous. I ripped them off immediately but kept them for future projects. This dress was obviously lovingly hand-made. The fabric is a polymorphoid blend, which is most probably water-resistant by the old feel of it.

Details of the outfit

• polymorphoid thrifted maxi dress, True Value Vintage (gone now), about a dollar
• red satin Oriental top, Wildlife Thrift Store
• stretch pointy heels, new some years ago
• black T underneath to shield myself from the rainproof fabric

This outfit looks much better in motion that it does static. As I kicked down the sidewalk this outfit seemed to say, "Howdy, howdy, would you like to join me for tea?" I wore this on Friday, July 6, just before summer descended at precisely 10:03 Saturday morning. 

And today I am happy to join everyone over at Patti's Visible Monday gathering. I look forward to seeing you there! Everyone always looks so brilliant. 

Other News

I gave my encore artist talk on Sunday at Baron Gallery and it went very well! The capacity audience was incredibly supportive so I felt very relaxed. An art critic also wrote a review of my work and my talk, which was published Friday in an online award-winning newspaper - it gave me a shock...and a huge grin! If you're interested, you can find it here. I wore my muu muu and beret, and of course Grushenka, my magic wand/pointer cast a lovely bubble of safety and goodness.

Outfit that grows up and up

After much deliberation, this is my outfit of choice for Patti's Visible Monday. This past week I have been enjoying wearing each and every one of my outfits so much that I have avoided taking photographs of them or translating the experience into words for fear of dulling the lingering electric edges, if that makes sense. What you see here was one of the most tame of the lot, but what I loved about it was it made me feel positively Brobdingnagian (great word! the giant people from Gulliver's Travels) or, simply, like a very, very tall tree. My trunk was in fact made of wood: Michael Kors thrifted wood platform sandals with leather uppers. The vertical stripes on both layers seemed to roll right past my head and up into the sky.

I thrifted both pieces in one go from the Wildlife Thrift Store, but I never realized at the time that I would be wearing them together. It wasn't until I had done a little closet jamming (layering clothes randomly from hanger to hanger in my closet - you should try it!), that I realized they were exactly the combo I was looking for. 

Details of the outfit

• orange sleeveless maxi, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Store, $15?
• blue tunic, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Store, $12?
• Michael Kors sandals, thrifted, $10, Value Village (not D&G as mentioned in an earlier post)
• long string of beads, too old to remember...
• white nylon maxi slip, came with wedding-type dress, Wildlife Thrift Store

In Other News

I finished reading a very, very long book, and while I feel enlightened by the content, I must confess to feeling relieved to be done with it, so I was happy to receive this short poem emailed to me by a friend based on Shakespeare's King Lear, which is my favourite of the Bard's tragedies. 

In case you don't know the story, a silly man, King Lear, asks his three daughters how much they love him. Two of them sickeningly exaggerate their love and the third says plainly how she loves him the way she has always loved him, no more, no less. The king then splits his kingdom between his two false daughters who promptly banish him to the wilds, only to be rescued by his true loving daughter, Cordelia. But what of Lear's wife? Poet W. S. Merwin asks the question in this great poem, "Lear's Wife." 

Have a great week, everyone! See you over at Patti's place.

Sequined maxi gown worn as day wear

Again, it was dark and dreary outside today, time for some serious sparkle therapy. I thrifted this sequined maxi dress a couple of weeks ago with the challenge of transforming it into nonchalant day wear.

The dress is comprised of a lacy sheath with filigree-like embroidery and sequin embellishments, and a matching maxi white polyester slip, both with back slits. The effect is very pretty and feminine, and in fact the dress could have been worn at one time as a wedding dress, but I needed something slightly more grounded for my inspiration walk.... Here's what I came up with, a la Mary Pickford.

To fill in the white-out and urbanize the delicacy of this dress, I decided to wear a black satin slip over the white slip. I also wore a white half-slip further down the layering hierarchy for additional coverage. And I wore a black long-sleeved boat-neck top under the slips to add more solidity and provide warmth. To finish off my outfit I wore my crackle brown Miu Miu boots. They lace up the front but cleverly have side zips. And then a denim jacket on top. The boots with the lace and black added a pinch of Goth to my look, which exactly mirrored by mood today. Grrr. I brought my wrap on my walk too in case I got too cold.

In the above photo maybe you can make out some of the sequins.

Details of the outfit:

• stretch white sequined maxi dress with matching slip, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Store, $15
• black satin slip, a shop in Korea, new a long time ago
• black tights
• crackle brown Miu Miu boots, Wildlife Thrift Store, $10
• black long-sleeved boat-neck top, thrifted, Value Village
• denim jacket with glitter bits, thrifted, Value Village

The back slit above, and worn with my jacket below.

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In other news...

My First ART GALLERY TALK 

I have been very busy these past two weeks preparing for an artist talk at Baron Gallery, where my work is being exhibited in a group show. I didn't post it before because the reserved seating was fully booked soon after the event was publicized. I would like to think it's because I'm talking that the session filled up so quickly, but the other speaker at the event is Dr. Paul Swingle, a world-renowned psychologist, former professor at Harvard and University of Ottawa, and former psychology expert at McLean Hospital in Boston. He specializes in in biofeedback and neurotherapy at his Vancouver clinic.

There will be a repeat talk on Sunday, July 8, if you will be in the Vancouver area. Again, it's by reservation only and I'm afraid it will fill quickly. 

The name of my talk is: "Unlearning How to Paint: Matters of the Heart and Mind." Dr. Swingle's talk is called "Art and the Brain." I think I'm going to wear my opera gown and my Munster shoes. I already have a magic wand; her name is Grushenka.

I'm going to speak first so I wonder what all the brains in the room will think of my work...?! I'm looking forward to it. Wish me luck. 

I am also giving a workshop called "My Big Action Painting" Workshop on June 23 at the gallery if any of you are around. You can check out the details at Baron Gallery. 

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

A dress for drinking moonbeams

My steps are confident as I cross the moors, my way through the mist lighted by the flickering candle in my lantern. I hear rustling in the brambles behind me. What care I? I have no time to stop, much to the fortune of those who would deter me in my mission... This is my bewitching outfit. I thrifted this tatty-black maxi muslin dress a couple of weeks ago. Today I wore it with a black poly-blend shawl I haven't worn in ages and ages, and my Ghost-on-a-Swing pendant made by a friend, last seen here. If I had gone with a more colourful accessory, this outfit would not look quite so spooky, but I like it spooky.

I must stop to drink in the inverse frequencies of colour beaming from the moon and wild heather.

Details of this outfit:

• black maxi muslin dress, thrifted, Community Thrift Shop, $10
• men's black leather belt, buttery soft, thrifted, Value Village
• black boat-neck long-sleeve T under the dress, thrifted, Value Village
• hot pink tights (you can't see them but I know they're there!)
• stretch zip ankle boots, new years ago
• Ghost-on-a-Swing pendant, handmade by friend (her Etsy shop is Little Lamp)
• black shawl, I don't remember where I got it

Again, the rustling. "Identify yourself forthwith or I shall transfix you with my hypnotic beam and transmogrify you into lilies of the valley for all eternity!" Oo, scary.

And below is my journal drawing of this outfit from this morning's inspiration outing. It's not very spooky, I know, but at that particular moment I was revelling in the tattered glory of this dress and the secret pink tights underneath. I don't usually wear this kind of flouncy/frilly clothing but I enjoyed this piece. Of course, the wind made it doubly fun to wear. The great spinnaker of fabric carried me to places that I'd only dreamt of - like that coffee and muffin deal for $1.99 before 11 a.m. Sigh. Moored in reality.

I hope you are all having a great week! It's cold here.

Maxi flower power recovery wear

Happy Earth Day! Three cheers for thrifting for reducing our earth-load! And many, many thanks to everyone for your comments while I have been recovering from this cold!

To aid in my recovery I wore this outfit today - maxi impact maxi with tropical flowers, a gen-u-ine Hawaiian-made muumuu that I discovered at a thrift shop about a week ago. The colours are so intense they threw off my white balance (on the camera) which made my face look a bit green in celebration of Earth Day.

You'll notice no beret, which is in part testament to my feel-good state. An ultra positive energy wave sloshed all over the sidewalk on my way downtown today, drenching innocent passersby in spring-fresh fuchsia goodness. (Gulp! That's me taking more meds...)

Here is the outfit. This dress longed for a photo out-of-doors but my studio had to do. Notice how I cleverly directed the lighting at my torso.

I wore my denim jacket because it was still slightly chilly, and my fingerless gloves. Under the dress I wore a long-sleeved blouse, a vintage baby-blue one-piece slip, and bright pink tights. I think the dark boots and the gloves in particular made this summery frock suitable for a sunny spring day.

Details of the outfit:

• muumuu, thrifted, $19 at Community Thrift Store, it has only one tag that says "Made in Hawaii"
• oversized silk shirt, hand-me-over
• Miu Miu boots, Wildlife Thrift Store
• fingerless gloves, Canadian Tire, purchased as regular gloves
• denim jacket with glittery bits, Value Village

I like that pic up there. It looks like I'm putting my right foot in doing the Hokey Pokey. The back of the dress has a full skirt created by a deep box pleat. I think that's called a princess back. Do you know? The train effect certainly made me feel like royalty.

Oh, chic alors! Too bad I can't just hover down the sidewalk so I can maintain this pose, I like it so much! I suppose I could mount myself on a skateboard and employ a dog or wayward child to pull me with a rope.

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Today's walk was my second outing in a week - the first was yesterday when I was hired to shoot photos of concert pianist Corey Hamm during rehearsal of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for the world premiere performance of Idee Fixe (sorry, I can't do the accent on the first "e"), composed by Jordan Nobles and conducted by Bramwell Tovey. Below are two of my favourite shots, although I also captured some good ones of Maestro Tovey and the full complement of musicians. I love photographing artists at work.

Meditations of the Artist. Pianist Corey Hamm   (c) Melanie Kobayashi 2012

Lost in the Moment. Pianist Corey Hamm with Composer Jordan Nobles    (c) Melanie Kobayashi 2012

I felt privileged to have had the chance to hear the fine-tuning of this piece with the full orchestra.

The fact that this was "work" was a huge bonus.

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I am of course including this outfit in Patti's Visible Monday. Poor Miz Bagg is bed-bound in the Arctic Circle after her pyjama party shenanigans. Thanks, Terri, that was fun! Tee hee. Do you think my facial worked?

Here I am in a little energy ball. Again, thanks, everyone, for your positive input! I could feel it coming my way and it DEFINITELY helped in my recovery. 

I'm Flora, Not Fauna!

Several months ago patterns were anathema to me, but having seen the error of my ways, I am making up for lost time. I hope you like this feisty floral number with its little demure front and the Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robot pattern clash at the back. I remember that at one time in the '70s almost everyone had dresses with patterns similar to this, or at least in my neck of the woods. I'm wearing the vest backwards; the front of it has gold pinstriping on the black.

Details of the outfit:

• thrifty flora dress and thrifted vest worn backwards
• black tights and thrifted stretch, wedge-heel booties
• silky dark teal blouse courtesy of O

This outfit flows wonderfully - the vesty thing flutters when I walk. I also love the silhouette. I feel like a tree. I LOOK like a tree in the first photo. I hope you like it. 

I have achieved a 200% ROI (return on investment) on this dress if I value each wearing at $1. I bought it at a vintage shop going-out-of-business sale and it was $20 for everything you could stuff into a plastic bag. Based on that calculation, this dress cost me a buck; I did everything short of haul out my vacuum seal machine to get this baby in there. It had ruffles and ribbons on it, and I would have torn them off right there in the store if needed. Thankfully, it fit and my dignity is still intact.

Have a great weekend, everyone.