Thursday, April 26, 2012

Apr 26th - Outfit #21 - Poison Ivy and Bucket List

One of my co-workers used to work at a design school. Over the last few months, during my work's renovations and moves, I cleared out a ton of old office supplies and donated them to her old workplace. In return, she bugged them to let me know when they were doing a fashion show and maybe I could be a model? 

Well, I'm 5'4" - and I've been that height for a long, long time. I've never had any dreams of modelling,and I've never considered myself that attractive, although I know I'm not ugly. Let's just say I clean up well and leave it at that. But you know? It would be really cool to be in a fashion show! 

So when the casting call email came, I said, "Hell yeah!" This is what I wore.
My teal sweater (last worn here), my chartreuse skirt (last seen here) and I swear those tights are a much closer match to the sweater in person. They always photograph blue!

I also know...I'm old. I'm wrinkly. But so what! Maybe one of the design students will want to make clothes for a curvy old chick like me. I deliberately picked this top because you can see a lot of my tattoos at the back.
I did not wear these shoes (last seen here) to the casting call - they were worn all day for work. Sue and I strolled down and I changed into a pair of "model shoes":
It's Vizzini! Coming in for a rub!
Not in the capsule, but whatever; I had them on for about 5 minutes total. I wore them last here.

They took my measurements (bust, waist, hips and height), took a straight-on face shot, one of me smiling, one with my number (23), and a profile shot. Then I put the shoes on, walked towards the camera, turned around and walked away. Done. "We'll call you if we decide to use you."

I know I'm not going to get called, but it was really fun to do it - and hey, you never know. Scratch one off the bucket list.

Sweater (Kenneth Cole Reaction, consignment), skirt (Noa Noa), shoes (Enzo Angiolini, thrifted), belt (Gap), bracelet (Jacob). Other shoes: Guess.

One of my other co-workers said my outfit reminded him of Poison Ivy (from Batman). That reminded me that I once dressed as Poison Ivy for Hallowe'en, about 15 years ago. Here's a blast from the past:
I'm 30 years old there, and that's our old apartment. The black streamers were from my 30th birthday party - I tacked them to the ceiling to make a giant cobweb. My 30th birthday party was themed: a funeral party for the death of my 20s. Everyone wore black. We ate black food and had black jello shooters. It was the year L and I got married (so 1997), which was also the year: we got Othello, L lost his job, my Uncle Jack died, my grandad died, Princess Diana died, my dad died, I quit my job I'd been at for 11 years and went back to university after a 13 year gap, and my gran died. Oh, and L also got his vasectomy that year, ha!

Turning 30 was just the cherry on top.

But I digress! I made my costume: a bunch of plastic ivy that I sewed onto a green skirt and a sheer green lace top. I glue-gunned a bunch onto hair-clips for my hair, and made wrist bands. I did all my make-up green.

Here's L in his Joker costume.
He's wearing my purple suit (circa 1995), my purple suede vest (circa 1993), a bright green shirt he bought in Scotland, the purple velvet hat I bought in Scotland, and striped tie, along with black and white Oxfords (which he still has) that he got in Seattle on our honeymoon.

Here we are at the party:
I did a good job of his make-up. Funny, neither of us are wearing glasses! I have my contacts in, and he didn't wear them back then. Hee, he also has short hair!

Hope you enjoyed that little jaunt down Memory Lane!

12 comments:

  1. L. makes a great Joker and I love your Poison Ivy costume. Sounds like that was an incredibly trying year for you. So, how long before you might know about the casting call? I'll bet you DO get a call back.

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  2. Wow, how cool to be a model - and you *are* rocking the model-shoes. They should hire you! Lots more of us are curvy and 40+ than super-model-ish : >

    What a year for you, 1997. You and L are fabulous "villains" together.

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  3. All those colours together look fabulous. Love those jewel tones. You and L seem like very fun people! I'd enjoy hanging with you in real life. =)

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  4. Love the costume pics from your party!

    And I hope you do get called for the fashion show - you look fantastic and any show would be infinitely more fun with you in it :)

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  5. It is fun to look back. I remember having brown hair...

    We saw a picture of your costume before and enjoy seeing more this time. It was great execution of a good idea.

    You just made me realize something. I say self-deprecating things about my (female) appearance and (old) age, but when I hear you say similar things, I get really sad. I want to rush up and shake you, saying "Sheila! You're beautiful! Stop putting yourself down!" Maybe we should all feel better about ourselves and be more confident.

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  6. Love the old pictures! How fun! I so didn't do anything fun for my 30th birthday and I'm starting to regret it. Maybe I'll do up my 31st instead!

    I love that gold skirt, I know I've said it before, but it's so pretty. I hope you get a call back! And hello Vizzini!

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  7. If I were a design student, I'd much rather have you for a model. You're beautiful, and you look great in clothes. Plus, you have killer shoes, an added bonus :D

    I agree with Ally. It's so hard to see our fave style bloggers say self-deprecating things about their own appearance (I know I do it too), when we see them as so fabulous, original, and gorgeous. I'm a firm believer that the media and mythical beauty "norms" make most women view themselves in a much harsher light than they would if they weren't bombarded with pictures of air-brushed, photo-shopped 16-year old models.

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  8. I like to look at "blasts from the past"... looks like you had a fun one event though it seemed to be a roller coaster year.
    I did an all white party when i turned 30. It was kind of lame.

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  9. I love the colors in this outfit. I actually saved this to try to replicate with similar colored pieces. <3 Congrats on the model go-see. I agree with Ally! You are beautiful, Sheila, and I think any design student would be thrilled to have you as a model. I've got my fingers crossed for you.

    I LOVE your costume photos. The costumes are soooo cool. I've been on a Batman kick since naming two of the kittens Bruce and Harley. Lol.

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  10. Hope you get the modeling gig. I've actually modeled a couple times for Lane Bryant and it was LOADS of fun (plus GREAT discounts for doing it!!)
    LOL at Joker and Poison Ivy!! Really cool costumes!
    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this color combo. Gonna save this one in my inspiration file for sure.
    Stop by and check out my latest post. It was inspired by one of this months' capsules outfits!!

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  11. I definitely enjoyed the "trip"! And actually, I won't be at ALL surprised if you get a call. You're a natural model and wear your clothes with a great flair.

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  12. Hah, I love when you pull out the old photos. Makes me wish I took more of them, back in the day.

    I hope you are selected for the modeling gig; I am already looking forward to the pictures! :)

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