I woke up this morning with white hair!!

...that's because I had it "done" yesterday (as if it were somehow unfinished before). I had forgotten the pleasures and discomforts of sitting in a salon for 2.5 hours. This platinum is actually a primer coat for bright red, then shades of brown on my way to dark brown. I may get sidetracked along the way, but that's perfectly fine too because there are NO RULES!! in Style Universe.

A few weeks ago I ran across some (old)?! photos of me wearing my hair like this in Tokyo about 25 years ago and was obviously hitnotized. At the outset of my inspiration walk yesterday morning I suddenly found myself making a detour into the salon. Thankfully, Angel received me with open arms. (He's my colourist.)

The artworks engulfing me are all fairly recent.

For a change I belted my tunic and wore high knee socks over my jeggings. From a distance it looks like I'm wearing tall boots. I call this look "irritating chic." When I walk down the street in this, swinging my flirty little candy heart, I think, "Ohayou, genki desu-ka? (Mornin' y'all, how are ya? in Japanese) Mwah, mwah, mwah (Kiss, kiss, kiss, in Vapidese, I'm fluent.)"  Let's all send Miss Simmonds some good vibes so she can go to Japan too!

Details of this outfit:

• stretchy wool-blend black tunic, Metallicus sample sale
• riding-pant jeggings, retail (suedine inset runs down inner leg)
• knee socks, retail
• brown crackle-leather Miu Miu boots, laces with side zips, thrifted, Wildlife Thrift Store
• belt, purchased in Kunming, China, mid-80s

This weekend bandmate Sandra and I will be working on visuals for our "travesty-of-music" video. We call ourselves Just Bad Enough. Listening to the latest mix, I think we should be called Smut Mouth. If I'm brave I'll post the clip. Trust me, we're more than just bad enough!

I hope you'll all be doing something fabulous this weekend, and looking good doing it!! Three cheers for NO RULES.

I'm not a seamstress, I'm a sewer

I like to say I'm a sewer rather than a seamstress because the latter title implies the sewing of seams, which I do rather irregularly timewise and faculty-wise. By the way, the word is pronounced "sower" not "su'er," although some of my work does exude the overwhelming air of effluence.

As an example of my extreme slackness with needle and thread may I direct you to the following photo?

I was enamoured with this man's shirt with baby-blue embroidery down the front, which I found at a wonderful thrift shop called F as in Frank on Main Street. Its neck, among all the other parts, was too large so I fixed it like so, sew, sewer...

I did in fact replace all the nicotine-coloured buttons on the shirt with lovely pale blue ones, except for the button which I sewed directly onto the collar in my extreme slackness. Actually, I rather love the end result more than if I had gone the complex route of a professional fix. The neck fits now and I like that delicious pop of nicotine madness mixed in with the lovely pale blues and white. The collar surprisingly does not pucker much with this method. Another reason I like this shirt is that it requires cuff links. Dreamy. They are slightly visible in the photo.

At least I did not use a Button Magic studder on this project, if you know those. I wonder if any of you have had the pleasure of trying one? Do speak out. There is no shame here.

Details of the outfit

• men's oversized shirt, thrifted, F as in Frank
• high-waisted jeans by Grey Ant, new a couple of years ago at Two of a Few
• platform Michael Kors shoes, thrifted, Value Village
• soft brown leather belt, thrifted, Value Village

I hope you're all having a great week. What day is it again?

PS. Below a clip for Button Magic but this seems to be a newer version than I remember when I was a kid. The one when I was young seemed much easier-looking than this!!

Good outfit posts require a neutral background...

I used this neutral backdrop to bring out the subtle patterns and muted palette of this outfit. Bwa-ha-ha.

This is my Breakfast in the Himalayas look. In this outfit I can also imagine sharing hot apple cider and chocolate croissants with Indy Jones in an alpine chalet. I don't know why exactly but this ultra-polyester paisley vest turned inside-out and worn with my beret always elicits references to the Himalayas and Tibet. Last I checked these were not fashion staples there. Maybe it has something to do with the soft leather belt strapped around my upper torso or the capris?

You'll note the double-bagging, courtesy of a reminder from the magnificent Desiree about the joys of doubling your bag pleasure. My love affair with the heart bag continues...

Details of this outfit

• silk blouse, several sizes too big, hand-me-over
• leather belt, thrifted from Value Village
• vest, inside-out, several sizes too big, thrifted from True Value Vintage for pennies
• capri pants, side zip, consignment shop Turnabout
• patent leather shoes, thrifted from True Value Vintage for pennies
• heart bag, thrifted from Wildlife Thrift store
• brocade bag, gift for plant-sitting

The secret to this outfit is my shoes, which have invisible hydrofoils on the bottom so I don't actually have to walk, I just skim the top of the sidewalk. And I didn't have to pay extra for that!

The backdrop is courtesy of some mischievous elves who broke into my studio the other night intent on creating me a decent neutral backdrop for some professional-quality studio photos. Weren't they sweet? I don't think they're finished yet - a little more neutrality is definitely required. (Aren't elves that visit in the night supposed to make me new shoes!?)

I'll be prancing about in this outfit at Patti's stupendous Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style. I must see you there. Hugs, everyone.