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!

Executive look takes a detour

I am a tropical flower, blooming madly atop a stalk of pinstripes and animal shoes. My satiny petals stretch to the sky in vain in search of sunshine and nourishment.

New Fashion Rules: 

1. All political leaders must wear neon colours (and paisley) to important summit meetings to set the right tone for peace and conciliation. 
2. Male political leaders must wear mod side-zip ankle boots, in white or black, and bell bottoms.
3. Female leaders must wear go-go boots and maxi dresses. 

This is the new law.

Smiles bloomed all around me as I sashayed down my route, my corolla bobbing in herbaceous splendour. Black and white turned to technicolour in a fleeting trail of sparklets that twinkled in the gloom and wet of another rainy day.

Details

• sleeveless neon orange satin blouse with ruffles, thrifted
• neon pink satin blouse, Jacqueline Conoir, thrifted
• elastic stomacher-style orange belt with rear velcro closure, thrifted
• pinstriped executive skirt, thrifted
• D&G animal-print shoes, thrifted
• red beret, thrifted
• Betsey Johnson coat, and tights, retail

Also, I hope you all get out there, elbows cocked, wallets bulging, to gorge on Black Friday, which in North America (yes, Canada too) has become the official kick-off day for Holiday Shopping Season!!!! I dislike this day and what it stands for with intensity. Holt Renfrew, a high-end fashion retailer which I frequent for sensory inspiration, had a sign out today, "Thursday is the New Black Friday" - I just found out that there IS such a thing as Black Friday and already it's extended to Thursday. I wonder how long it will take to morph into Black Week, Black Month...

Rain seems to be the weather du jour everywhere right now. I hope you are all finding ways to cope. Maybe shopping will help. After all that venting, who knows? Maybe I'll hit a few thrift stores... I'll use my flower power to knock those shopping suckers outta my way. Okay, so I'm a Venus Fly Trap, not a benign tropical bloom after all...

AND

Bella at Citizen Rosebud has drawn up a pledge which affirms one's intent to shop second-hand first. I'm glad she said "first" because I do still have a weakness for retail from time to time. I have already been living according to this credo, but now I have a beautiful new colourful widget for my sidebar.

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.

More sun, less colour?

Sun today, and that can only mean one thing - less colour, in some respects. I did dress darker, although I added a blue brooch and some incredible vintage sunglasses that I found recently. How did I live without them before?

Details of the outfit:
Betsey Johnson coat which I impulse bought at a huge sale so I'm not allowed to feel guilty
dress with pockets by Totem
riding pant jeggings
stretch boots - low heel required because I knew I'd be walking all over the place today
sunglasses - what can I say? Neon orange, like Ms. Apfel but in a square, if I may be so bold!

I played around with the backdrop for visual interest and also because I need to inventory some more work on the hanger. The piece behind me is oil pastel and big, which I love. I also included a street view photo below because this is the kind of day that makes the rain in Vancouver bearable.

PS. I just added the Followers gadget, and I know I shouldn't be, but I'm embarrassed to have only one. Terri, at Rags Against the Machine, you are the best! and my first follower! Thank you! I still have to Follow else's blogs but I need to pinpoint my photo, which makes me anxious - it seems so permanent. Until then, I check your sites daily.

Vancouver, Hornby Street. I see this cyclist's bike around town and it always makes me smile.