It's the Dead Relatives Society bash. Jon & I and the rest of us orphans are off to Spoons shortly for a festive all-dayer. I know what you're thinking - they do this most Mondays, it's hardly festive - but this time we've got the added attraction of the Wetherspoons' Xmas menu (I'm having mushroom risotto). It's a bit of practice really, we'll be regrouping a week today for dinner in the curry house.
My dress was a birthday present from G&T. It's Crimplene and perfect for protecting me from today's wintry chill. Note the footwear - yes, the snow & ice have finally melted!
The Welsh Wool cape has been hanging around the stockroom for a while so I decided it needed a bit of Vixification and added a fake fur collar salvaged from a vintage 1960s coat well past its best as well as a metallic black frog fastener bought from the market. The choker is actually some vintage braid, I've sewn press studs to and embellished with a buckle from a tatty 1960s bikini.
Remember me telling you about the tacky Virgin Mary in Friday's post? Well here she is. She's just shy of two feet tall, made of glitter-encrusted plastic and adorned with a real palm leaf. She was £5 - of course I had to have her. I'm surprised you even asked!
Plastic Mary and Pom-poms. I could say that they're my Xmas decorations but they'll probably stay up all year. Considering that we're a pair of rampant atheists we've got quite the collection of religious statuettes and pictures scattered around the house, we just can't help ourselves.
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| WEARING: Vintage Crimplene maxi with Vixified Welsh Wool cape and handmade choker, 1970s suede platforms & felted wool hat (both charity shopped) |
See you soon!
PS Thanks for the beautiful card, Jo from Canberra in Australia. Big love back to you and yours. xxx
I'm super impressed with your cape alterations! They make it so much better.
ReplyDeleteThe whole outfit stepped right out of 1972.
My friend Anja also collects loads of religious stuff even though she isn't religious at all. Her house is like an ever changing art installation. I think you two would get along swimmingly.
Can't wait to see your recent discoveries.
Suzanne
Thank you! It was very plain without the Vixifications. Strange that it didn't have any fasteners either, not good if you plan to move at all!
DeleteI like the sound of Anja although we might fight if we ever went charity shopping together! xxx
A friend of mine gave me a rosary for Xmas last year because he knew I loved them. I wasn't raised Catholic, but my Aunt's partner is and I had always loved her collection of rosary's. I've been a Pagan most of my adult life, but I'm still drawn to rosary's, especially if they're vintage!! Be still my beating heart.
ReplyDeleteHope you and Jon have a great holiday! I know it's not long before your trip!
I love the gaudiness of Catholic iconitry, too. The colonial era churches in Goa are a sight to behold. xxx
DeleteAs a fellow enthusiastic atheist, I do see the beauty in old religious pieces too. Your outfit is fabuloso, and I hope your week ahead is full of great discoveries, xox
ReplyDelete-Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Yay to a fellow tat loving atheist! xxx
Deletethe cape has won a lot with your decorations!
ReplyDeletefab together with the bright dress and cool purple platforms! gorgeous kitschy mary looks perfect onto your mantelpiece.....
have fun at the ´spoons! <3 xxxxx
I was surprised at how that cape looked with something bright underneath, I thought it might have deadened the effect - it pays to play!
DeleteThe whole outfit is great but the cape is quite special. The pattern is so unusual. I have so many capes hanging around but I rarely wear them as it is nearly impossible to drive in one.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't you slit the side seams from the hem upwards to allow easier arm access? Capes are fab but so impractical for doing anything remotely functional - it's almost impossible to carry a bag! x
DeleteI, too, confess to having collected some religious figures which reside in a corner of my bedroom (causing my Catholic chums to smile hopefully and my Quaker friends to squint suspiciously). I'd have snapped up the blonde Madonna for a female friend who admires the "bathtub Mary's" and plastic Mexican saints painted in day-glo colors in her neighborhood. She's the one who, when she starts her massive truck, must warble: "Ah don't care if it rains or freezes, 'long as ah got mah plastic Jesus, a'sittin on the dashboard of mah Ford. Yeehaw!"
ReplyDeleteI think my friends feel the same way when I buy wedding dresses thinking that i'm finally going to see the light!!
DeleteBathtub Mary, that's absolutely brilliant - sounds like a band.
I love the sound of your friend!
I love Icons and early Madonna and Child paintings, also a non believer but they are so beautiful and colourful. The dress is a wonderful colour.
ReplyDeleteBoth Hindu and Catholic stuff fascinates me - so kitsch and colourful. Some of those Greek Orthodox icons are beautiful. x
DeleteWhat an absolutely stunning dress! Very impressed with your alterations to the cape, and the genius of the choker.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed your Dead Relatives Society bash!
xx
Thanks, Hazel! We had a fab time - met at 2pm and got home at 10pm - ooooppps! xxx
DeleteI'd call that a good day at the office ;)
Deletexx
Where to start here. So much fabulousness! That Vixified cape with the fur collar is brilliant. The colorful maxi dress with the purple boots put a big smile on my face today. Love your mantel display too. Thanks for brightening my day! I sure wish you lived near me.
ReplyDeleteTheresa
I'd love to hang out with you, Theresa although it might get a bit testy if we went shopping together - we'd have to spend all our time in the pub. xxx
DeleteThat red maxi is really stunning! And the addition of faux fur jazzes up so many things. Nice to see yet another Welsh cape!! Hope you had a fun day at Spoons xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, having mates who are vintage traders is wonderful!
DeleteI was behind an elderly lady in a charity shop this morning, headscarf tied under the chin, tartan shopping trolley and the wildest welsh wool coat I'd ever seen in hot pink and turquoise - I almost asked if I could buy it off her back! x
The red maxi is fantastoc, and I fully approve of the Vixified Welsh wool cape! Of course, you needed to have Plastic Mary. I love her! I'm actually pleased to hear that Stonecroft, like Dove Cottage, has its fair share of religious statuettes and pictures, and quite relieve too, in a way. Here's to a great practice run of the Dead Relatives Society bash. The mushroom risotto sounds delicious! xxx
ReplyDeleteI thought you'd approve of Plastic Mary, she'd fit in well at Dove Cottage, wouldn't she? I think we need track down some Welsh Wool for your wardrobe, you are an honorary welsh citizen, after all! xxx
DeleteLove the dress! It's perfect for this weather. Loving the plastic Mary too, it's so you. My little sister has a bit of a thing for religious statues so I would have bought that for her if I'd seen it! xx
ReplyDeleteThank you! Crimplene is perfect for this time of year, isn't it?
DeleteI like the sound of your sister! xxx
Your dress is great, lovely and warm looking too.
ReplyDeleteWhat you did with the cape is inspired and those boots are made for walking!
Hope your mushroom risotto was good (I love mushroons, so expect it was) and your get together was fun. xxx
Thanks, Sally! I knew that fake fur collar would come in handy eventually - it's been sitting in my stash for 6 months! xxx
DeleteLove the BVM -- especially because of the glitter! I buy those tall religious prayer candles. There are some pretty freaky ones out there. TBG will not let me put a statue in our garden. I envy you!
ReplyDeleteThe red glitter elevates Plastic Mary to another level! If you find something similar on your travels i think you need to wrap it up and tell TBG it was a gift and you've got to keep it! xxx
DeleteOh, crimplene, whatever happened to that? It's warm, non-breathable and probably very flammable, so be careful out there, Vix! I love your purple platforms - might steal those from you! I'm in total lurve with your sensuous 70s painting behind Ms. Mary! That's completely amazing!
ReplyDeleteThere's a rumour that they stopped producing Crimplene as it was so hard wearing women weren't buying as many clothes. I wouldn't be surprised, it's indestructible!
DeleteIsn't that painting fab? She's done in oils, dated 1978 and looks amazingly like Debbie Harry! xxx
Love that shade of red and the fur trimmed cape is a triumph. Plastic Mary is bloody gorgeous and perfect for your non festive mantelpiece, mine's plaster of Paris and features all year round. Hope the Dead Rellies do was a good 'un. Xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Fiona! Yes, Plastic Mary shall be a permanent fixture - she's far too tacky to be kept hidden.
DeleteFrench thriller tip : Le Mystère Du Lac on Channel 4 is brilliant. Watched the entire series over a couple of nights. The Var region is breathtaking! xxx
I do love your red dress, such a fabulous piece, and also love that you Vixified that cape, it looks perfect!. And that choker!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see that kitschy Virgin Mary incorporated to your home decoration!, and your glass collection rocks!.
Wish you lots of fun!
besos
Thank you! I do enjoy tarting stuff up - maybe even more so than starting from scratch!! xxx
DeleteHoping this gets to you, still have trouble commenting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ann that red dress is lovely in you and clever you with the cape. I haven’t got that colourway in my collection. It’s me LYNN xxx
Plastic Mary hahaha oh yeah xxx
Receiving you loud and clear!! How strange that it still won't work, I'm not sure what to suggest. Arr you sure you haven't got this variety in your collection - there's a huge amount to remember! xxx
DeleteThe cape looks fab with the fur collar - as if it was always there!
ReplyDeleteThe dress is so colourful and it looks wonderful with the plum purple boots.
Plastic Mary is looking very....plastic?
Have a great weekend!
xxx
Thanks, Vronni! The poor cape looked very ordinary and brown without embellishment, she's much happier now! xxx
DeleteYour outfit is amazing. I do love that cape. The sheepskin collar is lovely and must be really warm. Don't you have a lovely hat that would match it? That maxi dress is glorious and not unfestive in its redness. What a great outfit. Everything should be Vixified. :)
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat a bit of kitsch religious art. I am not religious in the slightest but have everything from plaster Jesus, bronze Buddhas and a Krishna or two to Russian Orthodox icon prints. Got to be done. No bigotry in here, all comers are welcome. I am a bit in love with your glittery Virgin Mary. Hope that you had the best time in the 'Spoons. Xx
I do have a matching hat - that's another option when the weather cools down again!
DeleteI do love gaudy religious art. Have you been watching that series on Mexico on BBC4 - last night was particularly fascinating. I need to visit Mexico now. xxx
Gorgeous dress! The vintage cape is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteEmma xxx
www.style-splash.com
Thanks, Emma! x
DeleteOh the cape is wonderful!!! I love the collar, it looks nice! You look Christmassy in this dress!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kezzie! The collar is lovely and snuggly, I could sleep in it! x
DeleteYou look terrific in this red dress and cape with fur!! Love the choker too - what a fun embellishment! Your home is such a wonderful, warm and artful collection of strangely curious pieces, I think this statue feels right at home there! :)
ReplyDeleteLots of love!
Thanks, Natalia! The friends who bought me the dress have the biggest archive of welsh Wool I've ever seen, it seemed a fitting tribute to wear both together! xxx
DeleteYour boots match your nails :-D Cool!
ReplyDeleteYou noticed!! I'd forgotten I'd got an elderly (circa 1995) Barry M polish in purple!
Delete