Corporate pyjama daywear, leopard style

Another sponsored post written in 100% Mel-o-vision.

Today I feature alluuuuring, not-quite-lurid, languid bedroom attire as corporate pyjama daywear, or, as I shall call it, Bed to Boardroom. "Oh James, bring me the latest numbers so I can calculate how bad I am at math. On second thought, skip the math and let's go straight to drama, English literature. Bring me another martini and wheel in the divan."

all outdoor photos snapped by Su Bennett (aka Fairy Thrift Sister)

Of course I could actually sleep in these leopard-print pyjamas, but why limit the fun? As soon as I saw them online at NK iMODE, I grinned like a Cheshire cat. They are super soft 100% silk charmeuse. And slippery, as in slidey, not wily. I don't have many slippery clothes. Why not have this feeling all day long? It's like walking with a sexay secret all over my frigging body.

I added a vintage Calvin Klein tie with a full Windsor knot as a neckpiece, thrifted Miu Miu boots, and a long black velvet opera coat. The bag, for my huge, extremely important board meeting sandwiches, I bought in Tokyo back in the day when I cared about briefcases.

To showcase the extreme, gobsmacking fabulousness of these PJs, I have blurred my backgrounds. Nothing says sexay more than blur, don't you agree? Now I think about it, is that what they mean by bedroom eyes? - you can't see a damned thing because you're not wearing your glasses? I'm sure it is.

Let's talk about pyjamas. Simply, they are a top with matching pants. So here is the silk blouse part paired with my farked "NOT PLAID" overalls. I love the contrast of the extreme silky sexay-ness of the blouse with the sturdy denim. Ouch, my brain is overwhelmed by sizzling hot sexay-ness.

And this time, the blouse and overalls with a whack-ton of necklaces tied together so I can put them on all at once, I guess because I'm a slacker. The blouse would look good with jeans too or a pencil skirt. If you try something and don't like it, try looking again with bedroom eyes. It works every time!

I agreed to this sponsorship offer from NK iMODE not just because I love these PJs (their Bettina line), but also because it was founded in Vancouver, does all its design work here, and adheres to fair and sustainable production practices. Their pyjamas are here.

Some of you might like that most of their their silk lingerie and nightwear also feature "lightweight bust support." NK iMODE retails at Selfridges and other high-end department stores around the world. 

A mood shot below. I was cold. But I had to show you the full corporate pyjama-y goodness. You can see that these PJs don't have piping. Nothing screams PYJAMAS (say that like screamy Frau Farbissina here) more than piping. What's up with that? 

And next are the bottoms with a black wool tunic on top, and my pointy black booties. These bottoms flutter when I walk. They also have an elastic and tie waist so you can really pig out in comfort at the all-you-can-eat buffet any time of day. I'm thinking of that culinary scene in the movie Fargo HERE. So good. 

Of course you can wear the top and bottom together as non-pyjamas too. Below the blouse is unbuttoned and worn over the tunic. And I added the black opera coat. A long cardigan would work, not necessarily in black. 

Naturally, I'm wearing O's rings and the loupe he made me. 

And the next photo is what it is, the ending to the story. But before you jump to conclusions, that's a condiment glass for pickles and the mini "wine bottle" is for a citrusy Japanese sauce called ponzu. Yes, things are far worse than you may have feared. Heh.

That's all for now. NK iMODE offers free standard shipping to Canada and the US if you'd care to have a look at their stuff. Quite beautiful and, seriously, they felt dreamy. These PJs arrived at my home just one day after I agreed to post on them. Shockingly fast, even for shipment within the same city.

I'll link up to Patti at Visible Monday, Not Dead Yet Style, and Catherine at #iwillwearwhatilike, Not Dressed as Lamb.

I raise a glass of, uh, ponzu, to you all this week. And while we're at it, let's toast to my new private jumbo submarine, which got approved at my latest board meeting, inspired by the ferocity of these corporate PJs. Nothing screams mogul quite like a private jumbo sub, don't you agree? Pickup will be ready when I can find it in the bay. So excited.

I hope you had a good week!

Hooped and louped

I was out on my inspiration walk - dum, dee-dum, dee-dum - and I swung by My Sister's Closet thrift shop, as I usually do, inexorably drawn by their famous $5 rack. And look what I found, brought to my attention by my friend Su, who happened to be volunteering that day.

Yes, a closet staple: the magnificent hoop skirt. It brings back memories of dress-ups and dreams, and I figure there's absolutely no reason to disengage from such frivolity just because I am many decades older without any baby teeth left. And for only $5, that's cheap and sigh-worthy thrills. Now the owner of two hoop skirts, I have some serious hoop shoots to tackle when the weather warms up. Can't wait.

Trying to look bad ass with a hip-slung hoop skirt is not as easy as it sounds. Heh. Under the hoop I happened to be wearing: vintage jumpsuit in dark brown/black with floral patterning, vintage wide suede tie belt, purple Mozart jacket, and my still-hanging-in-there D&G heels.

And then below, how I looked downtown carrying the skirt, tied and shoulder slung so it didn't bell out and limit arm function (although that's also a look) or shove oncoming pedestrians into traffic. Unfurling didn't happen until I got home.

Definitely, a hoop skirt is one of those things you've got to wear like you mean it, and I did, even if only over my shoulders, "Ho-hum, I always walk around like this." A few people even complimented my style. Heh. The skirt does look a bit like fairy wings, far from Björk swan-dress-worthy, but the next best thing on a budget and impromptu. Best of all, I felt Björkish.

And a bit of breaking news...

You know how I'm always wearing my magic loupe, right? Ninety percent of my all my photos feature it, and if you can't see it, it's probably tucked inside my clothing. O made it for me as a talisman and reading aid and I never leave home without it. 

If you've met me in real life, you'll have seen it in action. Often it is passed around the restaurant table as we order or in thrift shops to read labels. No one wants to fumble around for reading glasses on the fly (or admit we need them at all) when I have the magic loupe at hand. And I use it all the time for checking photo previews on my camera. 

Well, O decided to start selling them in an Etsy store. They are just like the one I wear. Knowing how much time he put into crafting mine, I thought there's no way he could make them affordable, so I was shocked when he told me they'd be $175 Canadian (that's about $130 US). He streamlined the process a bit but still...

He manually turns the stainless steel on a watchmaker's lathe, he hand polishes all the metal parts, including the screw, and he even hand turns the magnifying lens to get the size he wants. 

That's a closeup of what they look like below, C$175 (US$130). It's such a minimalist design it looks great on men and women - architects, scientists, designers, photographers, shopkeepers, anyone who needs a quick vision fix. Some people mistake me for a pro photographer because of my loupe.

AND, he started to make rings, like the ones he made me, also to sell. He has made three different designs featuring an industrial ruby and stainless steel shaped with a milling machine and manually turned on his lathe. They are hand polished, all in size 6 3/4 (17mm).

Below, Style A, with angled surfaces on the top and sides of the ring, C$490 (US$362). 

Below, Style B, C$490 (US$362). The outer band is smooth but he angled the sides.

Below, Style C, C$390 (US$288). This is his most simple design. In this photo you can really see the high polish. There is something called a mirror finish, but this is a higher level of polish called a black finish, which is often used in very high-end watchmaking. 

Every time I wear my rings I get compliments. There is so little contact between the ruby, the band, and your finger that the stone absorbs maximum light, which reflects an intense red glow. This is definitely a good luck ring that brings me lots of positive energy.

Opening Etsy was pretty scary. Heh. I hope we got it right (I helped). O's production is limited, only one or two of each ring design and four of the loupe at this point. His shop, OSK Micro-art Studio, is HERE. It would be so cool having Louped Sisters - not that I don't already, hahaha!

And back to what I wore...

Below is a variation of the outfit I wore to the big fundraising event I wrote about in my previous post.

This is a vintage '80s silky pyjama suit in neon orange with bright fuchsia dots and linebacker shoulders. I wore it with my thrifted pussy-bow Scotch and Soda blouse, D&G shoes, and the magnificent ruby-red velvet coat, which was a generous gift from Fairy Thrift Sister Su's personal stash. 

If I were to hear the line, "Hey, lady, the '80s called, they want their suit back," I would respond, "Pardon me, the 2000s called, they want their clone back." I feel so empowered in this suit, I suspect I won't need this line, but it's best to be prepared I always say. Plus, the padded-shoulder gyrations, triggered by intense '80s flashbacks, are of such magnitude that it's likely nobody could maneuver safely into earshot when I'm on the move in this splendid number.

And below, something I wore last week as well, a black lace dress bought at a sample sale, Totem brand I think. I removed its black sewn-in slip that morning and instead wore a lacy vintage bright red slip which I mitten-clipped to shorten into a swag. And those are Fluevog shag boots, Jericho, in black, bought at a consignment shop. I also have them in bright green. 

Coincidentally, this vintage graphic coat was also a generous gift from Su. Her gifts are absolute favourites in my closet. Hugs, Su!

I felt a bit odd in this outfit. It's very, hmm, tidy I suppose. Or wrapped up or ordered. Maybe it just feels slightly magaziney, which is not my usual style. But I still felt empowered, which probably had something to do with my hair being its peaky best.

Maybe this outfit is too modern-ish. I'll probably wear it again though, when I'm in a weird mood.

And a laugh, in case you've forgotten that that's what I usually look like when I'm with my friends.

Finally, I spent a lovely day with Vancouver Barbara recently, which included booze and breakfast, not necessarily at the same time, and I am happy to report that she is now on Instagram HERE. At last you'll be able to share in her amazing sewing creations and artistry. 

Of course I'll be linking up to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed as Lamb. I'll see all youse guys there. 

I hope you have had a stellar week. Life is topsy turvy here, but what's new?

Words pale with velvet

The light. A yucky, packed-earth parking lot tucked off a busy sidewalk becomes an ethereal respite when a few clouds of light and shadows play on the walls.

I shot hard on burst mode with a high shutter speed. A burst does multiple shots all in a row. A setup like this pushes my photographic skills the most - what about this setting? what about that setting? 

Always, always, when I put on this velvet coat, I leave myself. Those are my wool vintage Gianni Versace pants and a chartreuse silky blouse from bcbgmaxazria. There's a better view of the blouse on my Instagram, here. I had on double scarves but tore off the second one, the blue one; I couldn't breathe in all that matchiness.

I'm sure residents of the glass-walled highrises around me learn a lot about the life of a +50 style blogger when they see me playing in lanes below them. I can almost hear their greedy eyes as they spy me strolling in there, "Honey, she's baa-a-a-ck," and imagine their grab for the chips and wine. More likely, if they're into that kind of thing, there is far more dramatic action going on in this parking lot at other times of the day and night than a middle-aged woman twirling.

I'm thinking in feelings lately, colour, light, movement, which can be calming but also occasionally frazzling. Words are sleeping. Last night I made this video below, short and quiet.

That's all from here. I have to haul up my winter coats from my space bags in storage. Dreading going down there...

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

Edit: I also can't forget a huge thank you to Sally of Already Pretty for including me in her Lovely Links last Friday! Such an honour.

Slob and snob?

No wonder male celebrities love to wear onesies: the diaper crotch design creates all kinds of shadowy illusions down there. And then there's the protruding zipper tab, which Suzanne has stated freaks her out. It's only because she's jealous she doesn't have illusions emanating from her crotchal area and a pullable tab. Hahaha. Just when you think you've escaped camel toe, this happens. Too loose, too tight, too loose, too tight. The game is rigged!

The headband with the sticking-up-hair brings to mind Scott Baio: wax on, wax off. Remember that from the movie The Karate Kid? In the era of the "Brazilian," it has a whole new meaning not suitable for PG audiences. [Edit: as Sheila points out, that was Ralph Macchio, not Scott Baio. Both cute, but I never had a "thing" for them.]

Places to see, people to go. "Must get chips. Must get chips." Again, note my superior photography skills with the precision focus on my right foot. I have no one but myself to blame for such excellence. The camera was turned to Normal, which tends to average everything out, just like in real life - one big frickin' blur with random pinpricks of interest.  

Big truck coming. Kidding. It's all just part of the show for employees skulking around the alley on their smoke breaks. This photo is a focal fluke. Did you note the cool socks?

Conversation between two of my blog viewers:

Roweena: Mabel, what is she doing now? What's all that filth?
Mabel: Well, land sakes, how should I know? Running around in her thermal underwear in broad daylight? I can't fathom it. I just can't fathom it.
Roweena: Well, not just that - she might sprain something with her arms up like that.
Mabel: Maybe the police told her to freeze!
Roweena: You may be right. You may be right. Running around in her long johns.
Mabel: Oh, Rowena, look, look! Aren't those your shoes? The ones you threw out 40 years ago before you started wearing platforms?
Roweena: Whaaa...? I do think they are. How did she...?
Mabel: Well, they're on their way to the slammer now. Good thing you threw them out. More tea? With a little something extra? Looks like you could use a little fortification.
Roweena: Oh my, yes. I knew those shoes would come to no good.

I still have a hard time believing that onesies are so popular in some places. This is the only one I've ever seen in Vancouver. 

This outfit scared people. And well it should! At least until I opened my mouth or laughed. My jeggings never looked so haughty before. I love this look, as much as I love my jeans and T-shirt looks as once-in-a-while style. Made-in-Italy fringed vintage velvet wrap by Byblos, $5 from My Sister's Closet, well, only $2.50 really because it came with a luxurious velvet maxi skirt as well.

Vintage black satin gloves. Big earrings from My Sister's Closet. Hat, yes the hat styled another way, from Used House of Vintage, velvet opera coat half price from Value Village, old Chanel sunglasses, a gift in exchange for work done.

That's all. I'm raising my head like a little prairie dog, having a look around now that I have a little breathing space. Are you still there? Helloooo!!

AND...

Good job on the blab live online chat hosted by Sylvia of 40+Style, with special guests Patti, Not Dead Yet Style, and Susan, une femme d'un certain âge. That was great! Sylvia's new course on accessories starts Feb 15. You can get more info HERE, but tons of women have already signed up. If you need a little style oomph, Sylvia will provide!! She doesn't pay me to say this - I just think she knows her stuff.

I'll link this up to the usual suspects. There's nothing too new in this disjointed post. I'll make up for it later. I bought a gown today. Hahaha!! Exactly what I needed.

Patti: Visible Monday on her blog Not Dead Yet Style
Catherine: #iwillwearwhatilike on her blog Not Dressed as Lamb

Yes and Yes, and dressing like a star

Sarah of Yes and Yes: Because Yes is More Fun than No blog interviewed me as part of her series REAL LIFE STYLE ICONs. Yes, that would be me. Heh! Aren't you itching to read all my secrets of the schtars?! Sarah describes her blog as a "lifestyle blog for smart, funny people," then winks and says, "So you're allowed to read it."

But why do my photos look so much better on her blog than mine!? Is it like in a restaurant where a friend's food always looks waaay better than your own order? Is her tomato sauce better than my alfredo because she has a bajillion site visitors every day? I would never let something like that influence me. Oh no, not one. little. bit. Nooo. But I've decided to move my blog over to Sarah's blog. I hope she doesn't mind.

To celebrate my new-found stardom, I decided at last to dress like a star. Like this.

All that other colourful stuff? FRAUDULENT stardom!! This is how a star really dresses. 

I am referring to some wildly successful mainstream +50 style bloggers, the kind with serious numbers for serious moolah potential, although the prices of their outfits probably have a few more zeros than mine. And O doesn't cut their hair. And they don't wear men's narrow shoes. Or run around with a toolbox handbag. Or go out without makeup. Or carry cash (that's what assistants are for, think the Queen). Minor details. Maybe no one will notice I'm in a concrete stairwell either. The point is, I'm dressed like a STAR!! You can call me Clarisse and shop in my boutique.

This pose of benediction is perfect for showing off what I'm wearing. I would never be a blasphemer and suggest that holy figures pose this way to show off their clothes. No, no, no. But look how easy it is to see those great bell sleeves on this turtleneck with my arms this way.

Despite the look on my face, I happily wore this when I went out for coffee with O, enjoying its comfort and simplicity. No joke. I really like it!! I dress like this a couple of times a week, usually in the evening, and cloak up with my black velvet opera coat and maybe sunglasses. But if I were a real star fashion blogger, I'd have to dress like this all the time, or variations of it, ditch the loud humour, and shore up on pithy quips that won't embarrass anyone at dinner parties. Puh. Who goes to dinner parties?

Earlier on the same day I wore this wildly, happily:

It's my vintage robe/dress/coat, I'm not really sure what. It's heavy fabric with a thick waffle texture, fully lined and so structured it sticks out like a tent. There is a front zipper from the neck to the waist partially concealed behind the button closure. It came with a detached button pinned to the collar but another one came off. I distinctly remember putting it in the pocket; trouble is, these are faux pockets.

The cool boots are from Sheila of Ephemera, part of a footwear care package she sent me a while ago. I made a video about it here. I got this white coatish thing and the earrings at My Sister's Closet.

I took these shots at the library, a tricky feat because there is lots of foot traffic. And my remote battery died this time so I was back to click and run. And then yesterday I wore this:

This outfit features a towering Dr. Seuss hat and a scrumptious, vintage plush velvet coat from my fairy thrift mother Su. Can you believe it?!! It's designed to bag out fit-wise but I wanted it tighter so I overlapped the front and mitten-clipped it shut.

The other day when I was out for coffee with Sandra of Lens is More (now also on Instagram HERE), a coffee shop barista gave me the best compliment but prefaced it with, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way but..." - I braced myself - "you look like Cruella de Vil." Hahaha!! I was wearing my red faux fur, red earrings, rrrred lipstick, green pants, purple ear muffs. You get the idea.

That's it. For now. I'm swamped with work in a good way so I'll be skulking for a while. Happy holidays! (Now you're wondering, what holiday? There is no holiday.)

And thanks for interviewing me for your series, Sarah!! It's an honour.