Agent Bagsy to the rescue!!

Hello! Hello! I'm wearing red!

I have been a busy little Canadian beaver this past week, making videos mostly. Here's one of them. If you've seen it already on Instagram, just move along. Or watch it again! Hahaha! The music is The New Order by Aaron Kenny. 

Yes, we need more secret agents over 55, or even over 40. I'm happy to oblige, especially armed with a vintage handbag! There are no shots of me actually thwarting the "bad guys," but that's how Agent Bagsy rolls. I want to team up with Mr. Bean so we could be Bagsy Bean or Bean Bagsy.

It was a challenge filming this solo, acting all weirdly downtown and in the alley with my tripod, and filming at the coffee shop. Luckily, I found a spot to myself.

If there was whispering - stay away from her, she's a bit odd, isn't she - at least I didn't hear it. I had to order that expensive juice to lay claim to the location. It was a good investment. I got the footage.

And this is a photo shoot I did this past week as well. It's the outfit I wore to the Nordstrom campaign launch party just shy of a year ago. I had such fun that night, made especially memorable with my friends Suzanne, Patti, and Shelley who came to help celebrate. I wrote about it HERE.

I swapped out the fashion glasses I got from Nordstrom, which had pale pink lenses, with these sunglasses.

I was getting a Marilyn Monroe vibe, shots of her with her hair blowing at the beach. Never mind that MM's hair was platinum blonde and my hair is getting white on its own, or that she was voluptuous and could sing, act, dance, and pose to make us weak at the knees. My knees are just getting weak. Heh. But I can still dream - that never gets old. That's what Hollywood is all about, dreaming. Agent Bagsy agrees.

Shelley gave me that cotton robe. It fluttered wonderfully in the breeze. And it was cool-ish outside.

That next shot actually feels '60s. It's the sunglasses.

Next, putting myself into real perspective. I'm just a dot in relation to this humongous bridge support. I guess that statement would be more profound if that were a galaxy behind me and not just a bunch of concrete. Of course I am small compared to a bridge support. 

That's better. Although I had to boost my size for you to see me at all.

Galaxy photo by Raphael Nogueira on Unsplash

That's all from me this week. I'm going to link up to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb. Maybe see you there!!

Thanks for visiting! Dang, I'm out of cheese nippies. I knew I should have got more. But I still have some gherkins and Cheez Whiz light cheese spread and a couple of cartons of fine wine.

Safety wear for the stylish woman

We were walking in tandem, me on one side of the fence, the construction guy on the other. He looked over and said, "That could be a safety vest."

I replied, "Yes, it is!"

Well, technically it's a life jacket so I get double the protection of a mere vest.

This paillette jacket protects me from psychic debris. Whew. There is so much of it around!

With my construction gear I'm wearing my rockstar pants, which are thrifted low-riders that I upcycled with Sharpie markers and acrylic paint, featured several times on Bag'n'B. They were noticed by Paul Stanley of the band KISS the first time I wore them. I was in a shoe store and oblivious to his presence, but my friend Sandra of standard.deviations clued me in later. I'm bummed that I didn't get the chance to ask him for pointers on how to wear platform boots with aplomb and his favourite makeup remover. I love that guy!

And I'm wearing my upcycled T-shirt, "I am my own brand," which I would change to "I am NOT a brand" if I were to do it again. Those are my super-duper discounted Topshop platform sandals.

Below I'm raising my arms to the universe. I was in the concrete studio but I digitally edited myself into a photo I took of the beach the other day.

Schlep schlep schelp schelp seems to be the little cartoon sound of my feet as they release from the hard reality suction of the concrete sidewalk. Each step schlep. How tiresome. This is also why safety gear is a top priority. One must never get sucked in by hardness!

Other protective construction pieces I wore recently.

That outfit features a vintage dress with a tulip hem. It's a fairly substantial brocade fabric, fully lined, too big and heavy for a dress, so I snipped it up the front and turned it into a coat. The sparkly owl pendant is from Patti of Not Dead Yet Style.

And I almost always go out with one of my parasols from Lily-Lark.

Below are my "safety" glasses, which I got from Vint & York in New York. They make me feel like a psychiatrist with panache and a love of the arts. Don't ask me why. Sandra, standard.deviations, thrifted that Maison Martin Margiela for H&M wool darted jacket. Sweeeet. Ever grateful to her.

And of course, I also wore this:

And then when I get home I unwind with Kitty.

Those are the highlights of my week, my friends. Remember: Always suit up. Always protect yourself from those harmful rays of negativity.

I'm linking up to Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday and Catherine at Not Dressed as Lamb for #iwillwearwhatilike.

What do you use for safety gear?!

Wisecracking in High Heels

I can't believe what I've done! I've made (gulp) an "old" decision, old as in old age. Quick, get my fan and smelling salts on a black and white film set.

How could this have haaaappened? It's not too late to reverse my actions - probably. If I act fast. It's like my whole world has turned upside down. And it PISSES ME OFF!!

The catalyst? The Lourdes Embroidered Platform Heeled Sandals with 5.5-inch heel from Topshop, now 75% off. A mere year or two ago I would have leapt, paid, purred, and slunk home.

This time? I only made it as far as leapt. Then I PUT THEM BACK IN THE BOX!!!! But by god, we bonded in that short time together. I don't even know how I ended up in Topshop in the first place.

Clearly, I've been dipping my toes in -

LOW-HEEL SHOE TERRITORY!

It's a foreign, unfriendly land, full of, uh, low-heel shoes. Blast and damnation!! And why? Well, not because my feet are screaming at me, at least not loudly or daily. No.

I blame it on the season: fall, as in autumn. Insidious subliminal seasonal brainwashing. Fall, as in falling, as in down, as in fear of, as in slippery wet leaves.

Who decided to call it frickin' FALL anyway? I think I'll rename it HIGH HEELS.

Spring - Summer - HIGH HEELS - Winter 

Much better.

It's not too late to go back and buy my sweet Lourdes. These shoes are why we have training wheels. And skateboards with handsome young men who tow you with skipping ropes you so you don't even have to walk.

This has all been a horrific menopausal moment!

Oh, feck - that word menopause. Where do all of these ill-conceived words come from?

I ask you, who but a man would name a woman's life passage after his own gender? Men-o-pause, poor delicate creatures afraid of women blossoming into new-found wisdom and strength!!!! Yeah, it's all about how he feels. He pauses? Pffft.

At the very least it should be called women-o-freakout, although it doesn't exactly slide off the tongue.

Fine. How about this for a pause - from now on it shall be known as:

Wisecracking 

Wisdom breaking through the shells of self-sacrifice and self-denial

Heh. No more menopause! Blast that word!

I see doctors around the world now: "Yes, [insert name here], it appears you have hit your Wisecracking years," and then him/her running for cover under the gurney stirrups while [insert name here] screams with delight.

Where's my skateboard? Where's my skipping rope? (Where's O? Has anybody seen him? Oh, maybe that's his shaking toe sticking out from under the couch.)

Everything is a fog. Stumbling around on egregiously low heels. Stumbling towards that frickin' ecstasy, meanwhile praying to the Lourdes in their cardboard cradle for salvation.

At least I have my quintuple glasses to help see my way through. Well, in truth I only wear three pairs of glasses stacked (one regular, two reading glasses), not five, and only when I'm sewing with black thread at night. Works so well.

It's all about the focus.

Elevation not with the sole, but with thine eyes. Looking outwards, not at one's feet, to achieve a higher state of being, whilst eschewing the opportunity to grow up (at 75% off). Gaaaa!!

Quick! Bring more sequins before this ill-shod Wisecracker runs out of slipshod double-entendres.

And now clarity. Here's a sober view. That's an old low-rent hotel with the crosses of a local hospital and a long-armed crane across the block looking down on it. I couldn't get a better photo - there were people partying in the parking lot and I didn't think my kind of Wisecracking would be fully appreciated.

This view could definitely be enhanced with quintuple-self-elevating vision, with or without the black thread at night.

Speaking of black threads, I'm wearing my favourite (only) black blouse below. It has a weird stretchy fabric that feels borderline gross. And my train engineer pants with the saggy dropped crotch. The rear view is too special to share.

Wisecracking during High Heels

See? I'm not advertising anything in this post, although it's too bad. Topshop shoes for free wouldn't inspire fear, guilt or remorse nearly as bad as paid shoes, in the same way that chocolates received on special occasions have no calories. 

I hope you're having a lovely season so far. Here, the leaves are the colour of pumpkins. And there's something magical about Wisecracking under a High Heels moon. 

I'm off now to see if that's O under the couch or a guest I've forgotten about. 

I'll link up with Patti at Not Dead Yet Style, Visible Monday, and Catherine at Not Dressed As Lamb, #iwillwearwhatilike when the time comes. BUT WAIT! - What's that?!! 

A big unexpected PS! 

Using a little magic, I granted myself these shoes on Halloween. I'm glad they didn't turn into pumpkins at midnight - they would be much harder to walk in than heels.

It's amazing what 48 hours, since I wrote the first part, can do to a person. Heat, time, and pressure create diamonds. My own heat, time, and pressure got me shoes. Sure diamonds are good, but for only 48 hours on the clock, shoes ain't bad. 

Look, I'm space-borne!

Not exactly Twinkle Toes - better than Twinkle Toes! 

I went to a Halloween Party at Vancouver Barbara's place. So much fun! I wore this gown for the first time, purchased maybe a year ago at My Sister's Closet. The lace of the skirt is super soft, not picky. Underneath I wore one of my two hoop skirts. Check out that jewelled breastplate. It weighs a ton!

Okay, now you can go! Hahaha!! Thanks for visiting. 

 P O O F !!

I hope you had a wonderful Halloween!

 I howled at that High Heels moon. Did you?

Rain. Big shoes. Umbrella. Blur.

Day 1, above: Light rain. Big wind. Coffee. Hot cross bun. Umbrella. And shoes high enough to keep my feet out of the water - although there were no puddles yet. This is exactly how I looked when I got home, complete with the dregs of real coffee in my cup, satisfyingly non-fruity. 

Except for the flash-frozen shot, these are stills from a video clip. Wind is motion, clothing in chaos. With rain it brings on a Mr. Bean jig with juggling and swearing. There was no way I could hold still for a self-timer beep beep beep and static snap after that slapstick trip home. The robe is reversible and flaps brilliantly, which is a treat when it's sunny and breezy. In rain and high wind? Not so much. Still, it was worth the wear.

Day 2, above: More video stills. The blur of the mood I'm in spits on photo quality. 

This is me on the runway. I suppose it's called a runway because if anyone gets in the way they get run over. Mine is in the garbage room atelier, and with no traffic I won't be making sudden stops, although my brake pads are in top shape; my hydraulics, on the other hand, could use a top-up, and minor body work wouldn't hurt either.

A while ago I took in the waist of these palazzo pants about three sizes for a smart fit, then this morning I ripped the new seam out. Feck smart; hip-slung style gives me 'tude. That black and white photo is looking slightly Nosferatu-ish. Good thing I had my hot cross bun on Friday. 

I heading over to Patti's Not Dead Yet Style, Visible Monday. I'll probably see you there.

PS I have the Freakish Yellow Skirt. I've had her for a while now and have been wondering what's next other than an Official Update post. Any ideas? I think I'll probably send her out again. She is magnificent!!

Bella's Shoe Shine and Anne's 52 Pick-Me-Up

These shoes, rescued from a shop's reject pile for $20 and worn in my previous post, are perfect for Bella's monthly Shoe Shine at The Citizen Rosebud. Thanks, Bella, for a chance to show off these glittery stompers. Note the magnificent double buckle closure. Contrary to what you might think, these shoes are not difficult to walk in because the pitch is relatively tame, but you'd want to stay away from them if you suffer from vertigo, especially paired with these socks, speaking of which...

Hugs to Anne at Spy Girl. Her geometrically-patterned socks inspired me to throw this pair on over top of my jeggings to share at 52 Pick-Me-Up - Sock Inspiration theme. She has a HUUUGE adventure going on in her life right now. Very exciting!! Read about it here if you haven't already. 

Until next time, 

Ease on down, ease on down the rooooad... 

Aqua brows and dizzy tulle spirographing

Jazz Fest Day 2.

Yup, nothing like those crazy spirograph circles to get in the mood. 

And my aqua brows with bright lipstick, no eye products - a face in colourful parentheses.

I met so many great people downtown today. The music was unbelievable! 

This last photo catches my mood best.

Details:

• ballerina dress, thrifted, vintage
• graphic top worn over dress, thrifted
• platform sandals, thrifted
• silky accordion-pleat underskirt, thrifted
• green beret, gift from gorgeous Ariane at Style Sud-Est
• magic loupe and pendant, O made them for me
• whale airship, from friend Monique of little lamp sculptures on Etsy
• mechanical wristwatch (I seldom mention it although I always wear it), vintage, gift from O
• tights, retail

That's all. This is my third post in three days. Extremely unusual. 

I'll be joining Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday with this. See you there.

Don't forget to email Shelley of Forest City Fashionista to get on the Freakish Yellow Skirt travel itinerary. 

Again, thanks, Shelley!

Shoe Shine and soft landing

Shoes for Bella's Shoe Shine at her blog The Citizen Rosebud. These are my go-to shoes for bad-assing with feminine floral rockin' sox 'em delicacy. And they were thrifted for a penny X about 1200 = $12.00 I think. Steve Madden. Worn here camouflage style. Thanks, Bella, for this meet-up. And huge thanks as well for PART DEUX of the interview with Roz. If you haven't seen it yet, I know you'll love to find out more about Rosalind of Clothes, Cameras and Coffee. Bella makes things happen - she's an incredible force for positive change. Can't wait to see what's next from her...!

Other recent outfits:

and

This second outfit looks waaay better in motion than static and minus the I-think-there's-a-piece-of-sand-in-my-mouth expression. The obi-style belt is high and in combination with the vertical stripe my legs feel like little trees. The roots of the tree are these clonky crappy-new shoes, so-named because although they were purchased retail the quality poor; the clonky part I like. Everything in both of these outfits was thrifted,  except for the teal tights and the crappy-new shoes.

Thanks for your response to VOGOFF! And again, huge hugs to all the amazing women who participated. I'm including a small cover image if you feel like putting it in your sidebar. If you want a different size, let me know and I'll make one for you.

And just copy and paste the following link address:

http://bagandaberet.blogspot.ca/2013/06/vogoff-june-2013-hot-off-press.html

The weekend is almost upon us. Are you giddy with excitement? I'm feeling the void of getting VOGOFF out, a soft landing, the puzzlement that comes with the curtain-drop on the final night of a stage performance. What's next? What's next?... 

How to wear a place of mind dingle-ball style

Often I travel to a place in time and personality when I don a vintage piece I love, but this striped two-piece was leading me strongly to a geographical place. While that occurs with other pieces as well, early 20th century Paris being a recurring destination, this little top and skirt longed for the tropics.

I can imagine that the bricks beside me are my leather suitcases plastered with stickers of exotic locales, now packed and ready for a new equatorial adventure. I hope they don't exceed my luggage allowance limit. Any second now my chauffeur will pull up in my new Bugatti to whisk me off to the airport.
"Porter, oh, Porter! Can you please see to my bags?" Being a good tipper is essential in precarious situations. Maybe I'm on my way to visit Frida and Diego.

The skirt fits perfectly around the waist but the top is rather large and shapeless, despite the darts designed for a bigger bust than mine, hence the belt. There is a full zipper in the back like a jacket would have.

A couple of dingle-balls were missing on the skirt so I had to carefully transplant two from the top near the zipper to fill the vacancies. Thankfully, the operation was a success, but this piece still requires delicacy when worn; although it longs for the seaside and lush tropics, the lack of any slit in the skirt requires that I walk with carefully-measured steps. I also had to replace the skirt zipper and hand restitch most of the hems and some seams, which, while time-consuming, also meant a significantly reduced sales price.

Details

• vintage dingle-ball top and maxi skirt, thrifted, $15?, due to missing balls and other required repairs
• Steven Madden orange platform sandals, thrifted
• chain belt, thrifted
• black T, thrifted, worn against the chill
• magic loupe, made for me by O
• vintage mechanical wristwatch with jewels, gift from O

And I like this last photo with my eyes partially closed, the better to see the cabana, the fruity drinks with umbrellas, the intriguing shadowy characters in colourful places, the romance, the rumbas...

Reality Check: That's my reusable shopping bag in my hand. I carry my tripod in there as well. I first wore this outfit here, to Sheila of Ephemera's e-birthday party, before it was mended.

It's strange how the passage of time bathes other eras in misty romance. I wonder if in the future anyone will write of being whisked away to early 21st century Vancouver. Will I ever hear, "Oh, she dresses like a Vancouverite," as a compliment on the level of, "Oh, she is so Parisienne." Doubtful, HIGHLY doubtful. But I can at least create my own warp in time/style/personality/mind.

I'm going to Patti's grand Party of the Undead at Not Dead Yet Style, Visible Monday.

How do you warp reality into a lightness of being?

Other News

Bella at The Citizen Rosebud has posted Part 1 of an interview that Rosalind of Clothes, Cameras and Coffee and I did of each other a while ago as part of Bella's new series, "20 on +40." I felt very privileged and delighted to have carte blanche to find out more about Roz and her incredible art and style. I am simply in awe of her. So...

Thank you, Bella, for initiating this interview. It was a treat to connect and I am humbled to be profiled on The Citizen Rosebud where I am inspired not only by your own style but the style and positive life attitudes of the many women there, especially those over 40.

PS - If you have missed the May 19 VOGOFF submission deadline, don't fret. You can have until May 31. This is your last chance to get out there with your cameras for the upcoming issue.