I'm not Atomic Blonde; I'm Atomic Grey

I wore this lightweight snuggly-soft Yuzhe Studios coat on my inspiration walk today, inside-out because I was in the mood for the lighter grey colour of the inside. The pockets stick out like little hip wings, and we know how flattering a look that is. And I wore my man shoes and other stuff. 

On my way home, a young woman breathlessly ran up behind me, seeking my attention. I thought:

Why, look! A fan eager to prostrate herself at my feet after my recent media triumph. And so it begins - celebrity is mine! Bwahaha! Soon I'll need to buy a hideaway in a dormant volcano and hire a team of minions.

I slowed, put on my humble face, and smiled at her with benevolence.

Then she said in a breathless confidential voice:

Excuse me, but I think you have put your coat on inside-out.

[sound of vinyl record scratching] 

"Wrong line!" was scribbled in my thought bubble.

I said, "Oh, thank you for telling me. Actually, I know it's inside-out, but I prefer it like this today." Then I thought we'd exchange laughs. But no. She said, "Oh, okay. Sorry, I'm sorry," and power-walked away, red face blazing. I felt bad. How could she have known?

Perhaps the next time I wear this inside-out I need to affix a little label on the back that says, "This inside-out is right-side-out today," to spare awkward feelings all around.

And yesterday I wore this: Jacqueline Conoir suit jacket, altered with additional repositioned buttons, Anne Klein crepe wool, lined palazzo pants courtesy of Dross Into Gold, black glitter booties, and -

The Device 

scratch-built by my partner O 

(his art is here, Etsy here).

As for the glasses, Charlise Theron wore aviator sunglassses in her role as a British spy in the period action movie Atomic Blonde, so when Nordstrom wardrobe handed me these glasses on set, BAM, I was -

No longer mere Mel - 

I was Atomic Grey! 

I decided to recreate that badass state of mind with this outfit.

There's the Yuzhe Studios coat again, right-side-out. They sent it to me a couple of years ago.

Speaking of atomic, time now to switch gears for a little spacy tripping with this psychedelic vintage '70s outfit that Suzanne, suzannecarillo.com, gave me when I was in Toronto. I almost fainted with surprise and delight. 

The outfit is seductively soft, velveteen I believe. The unstructured midi-length jacket has lapels, slits up both sides, and a single hook/eye closure at the waist. The front is meant to overlap for a fitted silhouette, but I preferred it a bit looser to enhance that tux feeling, so I pinned it closed. The slacks (love that word) zip up the back.

To top it off, I wore my blue velvety platform sandals with studded heels from Nordstorm and a satin sleeveless ruffle-front orange blouse with a super-high collar from many years ago.

I took these photos with my tripod on Granville Island.

The grand exit, tux tails flapping.

That's all for this week. I'll link something up with Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb. See you there.

Time-travel wear, party wear, nail art, and film debut

Flash Gordonia. Aaa-ah. Caped crusader!

Oh my goodness - I'm in the time-warp tunnel, fleet-footed in my awesome velvety-soft, blue, studded-heel platform sandals made for this exact purpose: "For fleet-footed running in time-warp tunnels," it's right there on the box. 

These are the same shoes I wore to the Nordstrom launch party for their True Nord ad campaign, which I blogged about in my previous post, here. That was more an out-of-body travel experience to Cloud 9 than a time warp. Make sure you also check out Shelley's writeup of the event on Forest City Fashionista, here.

As you can see, these sandals are the perfect all-round transportation device for any determined foot passenger. I highly recommend them as a neutral wardrobe staple that can be worn with all outfits with confidence and joie de vivre (French for "exuberant enjoyment of life").

Below is a flat lay of the full outfit I wore to the launch, except I forgot to include my Ribkoff clutch bag. Drats! 

Note the groovy sunglasses, eh? Nordstrom's personal stylist Farah picked them out for me. We had a blast putting together this outfit. Plus, red is very suitable for a Canada-themed ad campaign because our flag is red and white, although this dress is slightly orangy red. Actually, paisley, florals, beige, and plaids are also very patriotic because we get to wear whatever we damned well like. Heh.

What I particularly love about this dress are the long bell sleeves, the maxi length, and the rufflies along the cuffs and hemline. Again, see previous post, here. I had neon orange nail polish professionally applied to finish the look, but I didn't get a photo.

The clutch is partially visible in the next shot. It's got a pearly iridescent shine and zipper trim detailing.

Photo by Shelley, Forest City Fashionista. It's the only one with shades.

All of these pieces are available in Nordstrom's online shop: Simon Miller dress, earrings (on sale), sunglasses, clutch. This post is not sponsored and I don't get paid a penny if you click or buy anything (insert Lucille Ball-type Waaaa!!! here). I'm just sayin'. But I did receive the outfit as a gift for the party.

I customized the shoes by painting the studs on the heels with nail polish. The shoe design is a riff on a vintage sandal style, but through my rose-tinted sunglasses, they are badass Elton John.

The rib-knit fabric of the dress lends itself to high and low styling. Below is a more casual combo. I could also wear an oversized pullover and/or pants with it, although not the matching pants as shown in the online shop, too matchy for me.

Vivid reds always blow out on my camera. Vexing. Anyone know how to deal with that?

And below. I was sitting at my desk one night when O presented me two almost-invisible filaments with tiny, tiny red balls on the end that glistened like fish eggs. 

Hahaha. I insisted that we take photos for here and my Instagram. These antennae bend like willows in a breeze. And while they were really stuck on there, one would need to rely on one's maid to carry one's shoes about and do all the housework. I'm going to wear these everyday now! Although I'll have to rehire myself in preparation for the extra workload.

In the next shot I feel like a Vespa-riding secret agent in Moscow or London during the 1960s. Don't we all feel like that from time to time? The antennae activate my high-tech GPS tracking device (it's only the '60s, remember). I must accomplish my mission - if I could remember what it is. My memory seems not to have returned from Cloud 9.

You can see more of O's art on his website, and he sells magic loupes and rings in his Etsy store, OSK Micro-art Studio. He constantly amazes me with his imagination.

And one more thing:

KEEP IT IN THE STREETS documentary update

You might recall that I was in a feature-length documentary called Keep It in the Streets by Everett Bumstead and Sam Koopman, which I blogged about HERE. It's a skater/arthouse/street photography/Humans of New York (Vancouver) film and plans were to premiere it on the film fest circuit.

Well, in the following video, Sam and Ev share a startlingly heartfelt evaluation of where the film is at and their direction in filmmaking. "Make yourself feel awkward every day," Ev says, and, "I feel like an idiot all the time." These are men after my own heart.

They may be feeling down but they're definitely not out! You can subscribe to them on their YouTube channel and IG. There will be a premiere of Keep It on the Streets on the big screen, perhaps soon, and when that day comes, I hope all of you will join me, Sam, Ev and the other cast and crew to celebrate. Moving, timeless works about the human condition never go out of style.

There may even be collaborations with Ev and Sam in the near future as well. Stay tuned!

That's all for now. I'll link up with Patti at her Visible Monday, Not Dead Yet Style, and Catherine at her #iwillwearwhatilike, Not Dressed as Lamb.

THANK YOU for all your cheering on my big adventure. Hahaha!! You guys are THE BEST!!! We can move mountains together - although bulldozers are fun too. And those super-mega-earth moving machines too. And tunnel-boring machines.

Tell me your secret mission.

Stardust memory shoes and socks

The torso part of this outfit is something I might wear to The Office if I had to go to such a place - but I don't, at least not today. My head and legs are celebrating with a colourful fringed shawl, my black beret, and stardust memory feet. And of course I'm carrying my tool box handbag.

There's an accurate photo of these shoes here. The sparkle reminds me of a Christmas tree.

Wearing:

thrifted taupe/ivory midi cardigan, love the collar and big buttons

thrifted black wool knit skirt with silky lining

thrifted fringed shawl, deal at about $5

tool box handbag, from O

studded platform shoes, retail, sale

rusty brown cable knit leggings, retail sale

black knee socks under leggings, retail

glittery gold ankle socks, retail, about 30 years ago

various layers of long-sleeve tops under the cardigan, thrifted and retail

I like switching out my backgrounds with flat graphic spaces lately, as you've seen. But nothing beats my journal sketches for instant recall of the feel of fabric against my skin and the kind of day I was having when I was wearing a particular outfit. For me, no other medium can truly compete with ink on paper.

Those are some of the journal sketches that I've done during my inspiration walks this past month; usually I colour them at home - me as the Turnip Head. 

The bottom right sketch is what I wore today. The kitty often wears things I'd wear if I had the means, especially that snowball jacket, top left. The bottom left photo is me in my red cape but some day I'll photograph what's underneath - a sleeveless black crepe wool one-piece with palazzo trouser legs slit to just above the knee and tiny diamond rhinestones edging the slits. Vintage '70s. I wore a black turtleneck, black tights, and my black platform glitter shoes with it.

This is a ring O gave me yesterday. I had no idea he was making it! Stainless steel. I think it's the perfect blend of form and materials. I'll photograph it on my hand later so you can get an idea of proportion.

Also, in case you missed it, if you want to enter my T-shirt giveaway, "middle aged kitteh," just leave a comment on my previous post letting me know you're interested. Your comments have made me laugh. Thanks, everyone. Bwa-ha-ha! You don't have to make me laugh though; just a little how-do-you-do-please-enter-me, will suffice. And please, no more offerings of children. I'll have so many I won't know what to do, I'll have to buy a giant shoe (now there's a thought...)

("Today" in this post means Sunday.)

Peace out AND Yellow Skirt News

That's me wondering why can't I get my photos to stay upright but I have found a solution, apart from having to stand on my head or contort into other shapes. Hurrah!! I should break into an anthem of some kind here...

So I'll have to go back into my dusty photo files sometime and right those tipped-over shots. Below is a closeup of the poorly-made shoes that I bought at super discount worn with my retail fabulously-made socks. Too bad I have a wrinkle at the ankle. Don't you love that peace T-shirt? I nabbed it yesterday as I was leaving the thrift store. Close call! 

I wore this outfit this morning to the Jazz Festival downtown. Free music? What a superb start to the day, although I hope the musicians were handsomely paid. The group that I caught at the art gallery sub-stage was clearly talented but distinctly Country & Western with lots of slide guitar action when what I was craving was soul food - waterfall sax, lots of string bass, trumpet... I'm going again tomorrow. And I think the festival continues through until next weekend. How great is that?

Details:

executive pinstriped pencil skirt, thrifted

peace T-shirt, thrifted, label called LOL Vintage

black T underneath, thrifted

black tights, retail long ago

striped socks, retail

poorly-made but awesome studded platform shoes, retail at big discount

magic loupe and 2 other magic pendants, made for me by O

I always wonder why so many people here dress like they're going hiking when they attend an occasion that requires them to walk more than one block.

I just reread my last post and laughed. Jeez I'm bossy. "Follow me on Bloglovin'" she commanded. I was ordered by Them to "claim" my blog and that's what I had to write, but put more civilly, having recovered from my tech meltdown, I have switched everyone I'm following over to Bloglovin' and if you'd like to keep following me, I'm there now too. Some of you have made the transition with so much grace that I didn't even notice. You are my role models. And thank you SO MUCH for keeping me real when you do drop in and your helpful comments too. (You're right, Val, it's an apostrophe, not an exclamation mark, but I was just seeing expletives at the time.) Also, if you have Google+, while I can enjoy your posts, sadly I can't comment at the moment as I am not a member, nor am I on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn or anything else. I have trouble remembering all my passwords as it is.

and 

YELLOW SKIRT NEWS

Friends, 

The request list for the Freakish Yellow Skirt (FYS) has become rather overwhelming, which is great news, and although I am an anarchist when it comes to style and self-expression, after emailing with Shelley of Forest City Fashionista, the most recent FYS wearer, I've decided to go ahead with coordinating FYS's globe-trekking. Shelley has most kindly offered to do a spreadsheet of people who request the skirt so that FYS is not flying pell mell to all corners of the earth and you don't feel passed over. Even with the list, I suspect the skirt will still be criss-crossing the globe as more people hear about it, so fear not: even if you miss FYS when it's on your continent you will still be able to participate in the years to come, which would be awesome! Thank you, Shelley. I could never do this on my own.

Therefore, if you would like to play with the Freakish Yellow Skirt, send Shelley an email, slong88 at hot mail dot com, letting her know your full postal address so she can do her admin magic. Also, don't forget to tell me when you get the skirt so I can put you on the official Travelling Yellow Skirt Freak Show page and make the announcement here. Also, it would be great if you could post the skirt to the next wearer within two weeks of receiving it - just a guideline.

Hugs and kisses to all of you for joining in this yellow skirt MADNESS!! She has got a mind of her own that yellow skirt and I love her to bits - um, hopefully not to absolute bits... It's crazy how she's touched your hearts but it's only because she's MAGIC!!! Born into harshness, resurrected into glory - Sing Anthem Now!! (See how bossy I am?) Thanks, Sarah at Misfits Vintage, for your idea in the first place!!

Pant-theist: worshipper of pants

I wore this on Wednesday. Outta my way, I'm spewing uber-ness.

In fact, I was spewing such an incredible amount of uber-ness that I was raring to burst into the board meeting of my imaginary haute couture magazine in New York where I would fire the entire fashion editorial staff in favour of running my global empire single-handedly from the pool house at my mansion in Malibu. Without breaking a sweat, naturally.

Step. Spew. Step. Spew. Lively ubers in my wake.

These glasses frames with clear lenses were only $15. I shall need new glasses soon and thought these would be good testers of one of my favourite designs, the big Os. Sadly, I think my lenses will probably be too thick for these huge orbs, and I don't think my brows, forehead, and brain would benefit from the expansive prescriptive realm. Another style would probably better suit my face shape. Regardless, I shall wear these glasses again because I do like the style and they complement my chronic bitch face, yes.

Details

• glasses with clear lenses, $15 from thrift shop
• front zip big pants, vintage, thrifted. It took a lot of care to resuscitate these poor neglected darlings. Note how the pattern matches up so magnificently in the front (also in the back)
• suede vest with 4 front snaps, vintage, thrifted when I went out with Sandra.
• black boat-neck T with 3/4 sleeves, thrifted
• D&G shoes, thrifted
• magic loupe, O made it for me

And the hot pink delight below I also bought while thrifting with Sandra. I haven't worn it out yet and I'm not sure if I shall - the shorts are very, very short and I haven't worn shorts of any description for years, except for sports.

Oooh, another view, this time with the jacket which is looking rather haggard here because I didn't do it up correctly. When it's properly fastened, the jacket is form-fitting and the same length as the shorts creating the illusion that I forgot to put on my pants. So fun!(?)

Details:

• hot pink boucle jacket and side-zip short shorts, vintage, thrifted, size L(!)
• mustard tights, retail
• sunglasses, vintage, thrifted
• orange ruffled satin blouse, thrifted
• big shoes, retail, big sale

And I liked my hair in this shot.

And finally, this is a closeup of the shoes I got in the big sale I mentioned in the last post, $37. They are poor quality but I love the style.

AND - Uh oh, I've been doing big art again as you can see in the background, oil pastel on paper. This particular piece is ongoing - I like it that way.

I hope you all have a swell weekend. Will you be wearing shorts?