One skirt four way-out ways

I had just polished off a tin of Helga von Trollop's wonderful Arsebiscuits (which she is about to licence to the Girl Guides) when I had an epiphany. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I haven't been able to paint big lately, so I decided to channel that spectrum of energy into Abstract Expressionist Styling. I immediately called Miz Bagg (who always assists with comedy and critique) to join in this gorgefest of colour, form, and texture.

Questions

How far-out can I stretch a central piece stylistically with limited other pieces?

What defines the limits of what we would wear in public?

Materials

Ground: neon lemon maxi skirt, aka the Circus Skirt (worn several times in the summer, posted here)

Main palette: thrifted ballerina dress, thrifted black sequin tank top, thrifted black 3/4 sleeve top, black tights, lilac platform shoes

Accents: patterned keyhole stretch top with suspenders, thrifted hot pink peignoir, and black and white cloth belt

Below are some of my favourite Miz Bagg stylings from this session. I also took some "normal" stylings during the session, which I'll post before this skirt flies off around the world.

Look 1: Marie Antoinette (or "Oh Please Let Me Eat Cake")

I'm either beseeching the universe to rain cake down upon me or pausing mid-step at a Tim Burton ball for Louis XVI.

Look 2: Lemon Meringue Wood Elf (or "I am not a Conehead")

Inspired by Judith at Style Crone, I wound the skirt around my towering red hat. The end result was very tipsy; I should have used my belt to secure it. 

Look 3: Ace of Lemon Spades (or "Don't Ask me to Walk")

This piece comes with a skateboard with a rope attached for towing purposes in case I actually have to move. Too bad the belt tied around my knees was not elasticized. I love the balloon effect of the skirt cinched under the tutu. Veeery tricky snapping this photo using a timer walking in baby steps.

Look 4: Triple Sudden Impact (or Miz Air-Bagg)

This look features three attractive air bags formed by pouching the skirt through the armholes and keyhole of this top worn as a skirt and secured with suspenders. It's an attractive silhouette, don't you think?

Conclusions

This exercise was not an adequate painting substitute, but it will do for now. "There is no such thing as mistakes" was my mantra  - just as it is in painting, which is what made the shoot so enjoyable. While it would be easy to see these outfits as costumes or fashion designs, these works sprang from the neon lemon skirt, not from the need to clothe a scripted character or sell a clothing brand. I also think there is much more I could have done here. 

I would not wear any of these outfits as everyday wear. Why not? How do we instinctively know what's "too far"? I know that the boundaries of my "too far" have certainly shifted in recent years and the "too fars" of other bloggers vary wildly. I think there's more to it than just being comfortable in something because I felt comfortable in these outfits, although I probably wouldn't feel the same without the mask of bow lips and rouge and the context of experimentation which gave me permission to dress like this. Another question: What is it about "too far" clothing that some people find so upsetting on the sidewalk but perfectly palatable in a magazine?

Intellectually, I think that individual styling is a small political act, the assertion of an independent will that may not necessarily embrace prevailing trends in politics, fashion, or art. I love the fact that if I wanted, theoretically I COULD wear these ensembles out for coffee, but for me they are still "too far".

What do YOU think?

It's been a frantic week of big words and bad sound so I haven't been able to comment much. I have squeezed in peeks when I could and sometimes scribbled a few words. 

Also, thanks to my new followers for joining!!

My hot pink peignoir takes me for a walk

Wooo, I was feeling psychedelic today. Can you tell? I was on the cusp of culling this vintage Karen Millen green dress with the "England" label, but I won't now having discovered how groovy it feels paired it with this hot pink peignoir - I felt like doing the twist. There is excessive amplitude in the upper reaches of the dress and with the flare of the skirt I consider it slightly too short to wear just tights with, so I paired the dress with these riding-pant jeggings and threw on a hot pink silk top to colour block the green field. I was also hoping there would be a greater clash of pinks between the peignoir and the top, but you can't have everything.

It was windy today so the peignoir billowed and fluttered brilliantly with the lightest, feathery  swish of my hands. That feeling brings back memories of sheer curtains wafting in my bedroom on a summer evening, crickets singing, and the passing of the distant night train. 

Can you see the pink satin ribbons? This was the peignoir's inaugural outing; I'm glad it took me along. The top part of it is shirred and stretchy and has three little pink buttons.

Details of the outfit

• vintage Karen Millen green dress, thrifted, True Value Vintage end-of-business sale, $5 (?)
• bright pink peignoir, thrifted, Salvation Army, $10
• bright pink silk top, hand-me-over
• caramel riding-pant jeggings, new, Hue brand, The Bay

Here are some close-ups of the dress. I love the label. The dry-cleaner said when I brought it in, "That's a really old dress," but I don't know if he thought that was a good thing or a bad thing. I think this dress is made of lightweight wool crepe, and it has a light-green satin lining. Perhaps I subconsciously chose this "England" dress with the Empire waist to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee.

I'm tired of hearing my hangers scape hard over the bar when I dig for a piece of clothing - my closet is packed. There was a time when the aubergine outfit in the previous post felt the edge of scandal. How things have changed, the result of hanging around with so many fabulous bloggers. So it's time to do a serious weeding of my wardrobe according to my new standards, which sometimes include opera gowns and peignoirs as daywear. There are too many as-yet undiscovered "favourite" pieces in the shops and not enough hours in a day to devote to "meh" clothing. Wish me luck in The Big Clean! 

Of course I'm heading over to Patti's Visible Monday. I sure felt visible in this dreamy, lava-lamp outfit. I hope I'll see you over there!

P.S. Playing squash like a worm is like playing with a racquet made from silly putty and running with noodle legs, all wibbly and ineffective. 

Cafe Peignoir Cocktail Dress

After yesterday's activity - the art opening, which I shall write about soon - my whole body felt like jello with relief today in the vein of "It doesn't matter what I do today because yesterday is behind me." This is a liberating state of mind with which to approach one's closet! I thrifted a satiny bubble skirt with a wide elastic waist for the opening and decided at the last minute not to wear it, as often happens when I shop for occasion-specific attire, so I decided to wear the skirt today with my black tights and pickle-stabber shoes. Despite their fierceness the shoes are ultra-comfortable because they are elasticized around the opening.

Colour was desperately needed so I called upon my rainbow stretch dress, last worn here and here. But something was still missing... My fabulous peach peignoir! I thrifted it several weeks ago and was dissatisfied with it's tent-like hang, so today when I threw it on I belted it.

The photo does not do justice to the fullness and filminess of the peignoir or the satiny sheen of the skirt underneath. I can only say that walking down the sidewalk felt absolutely heavenly. Swish, swish, sashay. I saw a woman's jaw drop - it was a first! And that made me swish even more wildly with a ridiculous grin. Why not? Yesterday is behind me (even though it was one of my best days ever!). With the coat on, this outfit made me feel like I was going to an evening cocktail party along the Seine; I made do with the next best thing - my favourite coffee shop. (That black lump in the photo is my camera for street style spotting.)

Details of the outfit

• peach peignoir, thrifted, Community Thrift Shop, $18
• bubble skirt, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Shop, $10
• shoes, new a couple of years ago
• rainbow stretch dress, thrifted, Value Village
• spring coat, new, Winners last spring
• white T-shirt, new a few years ago, Athlete's Foot!

What I love is how the cinched waist makes the peignoir flare. The fullness of the skirt also accentuated the coat's A-line created with the top button done up. I like this look much better with the coat. I think next time I might wear a different coloured T underneath. What do you think?

At the coffee shop I was oblivious to everyone around me as I scribbled about the opening and drew my little picture, then on the way home I ran into a wonderful gentleman I had style-eyed several months ago. Now I have lots and lots and lots of work to do...

This peignoir is perfect for Visible Monday! Here I come, Patti! Bonjour, everyone.
Big hugs and thank you's for your well wishes on the opening. They really worked! You guys are the BEST. Hugs again.