Finding myself through unlearning

I did it. I did something huuuuge. I gave a talk about my style to the Vancouver Guild of Fabric Arts. Deb, the head of their programming, invited me several months ago. I ignored the impending date for quite a while, but then SUDDENLY, out of the blue, it was just over a week away. GAAA! Like I always do, I freaked out like a true professional.

This talk was the first time I've done public speaking since I gave my talk called "Unlearning How to Paint" a few years ago. This was more like Unlearning How to Dress or Unlearning the Style Rules. I seem to be wasting a lot of time learning then unlearning things.

I had to hike the pant legs to show off these over-the-knee boots I'm crazy for.
I had to wear them again before/if it ever gets warm.

The talk was called Confessions of a Closet Diva and it featured several costume changes. I went into it dressed a bit like a sausage, piling on layers of outfits under my oversized drop-crotch jeans and an oversized blouse like someone who'd exceeded their luggage allowance at the airport and had to wear the excess.

Bit by bit I revealed the next layers, while Vancouver Barbara, who is also a member of the Guild, held a sheet in front of me as my lovely assistant. Judy, another member of the Guild whom I've featured on my street style blog, kindly provided impromptu game-show vocal stylings during these interludes. Let me just say - the audience was STELLAR!! Simply STELLAR!! I couldn't have hoped for a more safe and encouraging environment.

So there I was, stripping down in front of a room full of strangers, pretty much, just like those dreams you have where you're naked in public. In my case, the dream came true. Too bad we can't pick and choose which dreams we have come true and when. Heh.

Did I tell you I was asked a while ago to be in StyleLikeU's What's Underneath project, the one where you strip down to your undies in front of a camera while you're being questioned about your life by someone off screen? The sessions often end in tears. It would have been excellent exposure (heh) with hundreds of thousands if not millions of viewers, but, while I was truly honoured to be asked, I declined. Definitely, it could have been another dream come true though.

That's all I'll say about the talk (and stripping), except that the feedback I've received from the presentation so far has been extremely encouraging, with even suggestions that it was more like performance art and would maybe work for the Fringe Festival, which is like an off-off-Broadway-by-several-thousand-miles theatre festival of fringy works. I love fringe! And dingle balls too! That would be awesome. Of course my reaction presupposes that comparing my talk to performance art is a good thing. Heh.

So my mind is turning, turning. Every time I scare myself by doing a new thing, my mind starts hurtling into new territory. I'm afraid of what I'll want to unlearn next.

You may note the wrinkles around the crotchal area, rather accordion-looking. That particular instrument doesn't exactly evoke the genre or rhapsody one would prefer in that area.

And this last photo, I'll explain. As a member of the media, on May 13 I attended a big fundraiser event for Positive Living BC, which assists people who are HIV positive. There were about 100 actors/models in the show, including, happily, two of the people I styled with Su Bennett for the fashion show of My Sister's Closet's parent organization, Battered Women's Shelter Society, a couple of years ago (here): Stella Panagiotidis (IG here) and Marc Swiednicki. They were outstanding.

I arrived at the venue during cocktail hour at 7 p.m. and didn't leave until the show was over around 11:30. It was a long evening but bursting with talent, generosity, and caring. While I was walking home, I ran across this man whom I'd seen inside earlier. He was waiting for a taxi to take him home. This photo I took of him standing there without his shoes on sums up the whole evening, along with the exhaustion of accomplishment. Unfortunately, I didn't get his name.

I posted on the event on my street style culture blog, Culture Serf. You can see it here.

That's it for this week, sweet chickens.

No blog post these days is complete without linking up with Patti at Not Dead Yet Style and her Visible Monday, and Catherine at Not Dressed as Lamb and her #iwillwearwhatilike. I'll probably see you there.

Have you done anything scary lately? Like drink expired milk? Walk when the hand is flashing? Do tell. I usually respond to comments but I'm later (than usual) this time.

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!