Sunday, March 29, 2020

Weekend Silliness: Vizzini the Genie Says, "Let's Disco!"

Hello, my friends! L and I are committed to being our usual goofy selves for your reading pleasure. 
"Do the Hustle!"
[Fun fact: I learned to do the disco dance "The Hustle" in grade 5 for PE/Physical Education in elementary school, around 1977-78]

We both love to get dressed up, and are dearly missing our usual packed social calendar filled with meet-ups and events. Out dear friends called us during their Zoom session last night, and it was so wonderful to hear their voices.
"What? I am not good enough for you?"

Vizzini's great (especially his yowly voice), but I miss hanging out with our friends and chillin' over some beers and wine and food.
"I have a surprise for the Man and the Woman!"

Our story: On this rainy Saturday, a small tuxedo cat approached a Man who was reviewing the whiskeys on the bar. Of course, it is the 1970s, so the Man is dressed in some stylin' threads.
"Hey, Man, I have something to show you! I am a Genie - check out my lamp!"

[Fashion aside: The Man is wearing a vintage 70s cuffed shirt, a 70s Christian Dior tie - KLASSY - and some early 00s flared pinstripe trousers. The houndstooth jacket is by Tommy Hilfiger from the late 90s. The shoes are Fluevogs, and the hat is modern]

Well, the Man had never seen a talking cat before, so he was understandably skeptical. Suuuure, this cat is a genie...
"I am! And I have a magic lamp for you to look at!"

And behold, there WAS a magic lamp!
"Maybe if I stare at it long enough, he will notice."

It was a magical Lamp of Lava, filled with purple goop!
"Go on...I left a special present by the lamp."

Hoping that the "special present" wasn't a hairball, the Man approached the Lava Lamp.
Gadzooks! A book!

But what kind of book is it??
"I simply cannot tell!"

The Man could not figure it out on his own, so Vizzini the Genie called for reinforcements.
"I roll my eyes - these people are so stupid!"

But first, he had to fight off the infamous Fuzzy Snake!
"Ah! This snake shall feel my wrath!"

And then he raked his scratching post in frustration.
"Woman! Go look at the lamp!"

The Woman was distracted by this lump of fury, biting at his post.
"They...are...so...stupid!"

Finally, the Woman also spotted the Lava Lamp and the book.
"Hmmm...I wonder if this is what that Genie Cat was getting riled up about?"

She went back to the Genie Cat to ask.
"YES! Read the book, Woman!"

She investigated the Lava Lamp further.
"Ooh, it's warm!"

Vizzini was gobsmacked.
"WTF, Woman! Read the book!"

The Woman - not being quite as stupid as the genie cat thought - discovered the book.
"Hey! It's a book!"

She and the Man examined it.
"Let's Disco!"

Yes! It was indeed a magical lamp, with a vintage "Let's Disco!" book that the Genie Cat had set out for them.
[Long digression as we look at the book and Lava Lamp]

We found the book years ago at L's mom's place and took it home for our amusement.

However, every page looks like this, and it's impossibly complicated.
I do dig the Art Deco font on every page - this one is for "1-Step Hustle"

Learning to dance from a book...not the best method...all those footprints!

Check out the grooviness! It's from 1978, published by K-Tel Records.
It originally came with a record (check it out here, linking 'cause I love!), with Side 1 as all "Instruction", which I'm sure was not at all confusing! The yellow sticker on the corner has been bent over the cover, but we can still enjoy the "recommendations":

"Today's hottest social activity can now be easily and economically learned with the "Let's Disco!" instructional system." - Bill Wardlow, BILLBOARD - recognized in the music industry as the "Father of Disco."

and

"...Best disco instruction package we've seen...complete, easy to follow, and very affordable." - Village People - top international disco recording group.

and

"It works! A great way to learn the basics of disco." - Peter Brown, recording star. Hits include '78 disco smash, "Dance With Me."


Okay, I have actually heard of Bill Wardlow, but I seriously doubt that the Village People really looked at this book for very long! I did enjoy (but did not recognize) "Dance With Me" (YouTube link here), but Peter Brown got a single on the vinyl record that came with this, so I'm sure his comment was totally legit, ha ha! 

By the way, the Lava Lamp is an authentic "Lava Lite" as it notes on the cap - I bought it in Seattle back in the early 90s, when I was on a buying trip with the owners of the year-round Christmas store that I worked at. I recall it was VERY expensive - like $90 US!
Hmmm...they are a lot cheaper now.

[end of digression]

*ahem*

With the magical Lamp of Lava, and the help of the "Let's Disco!" really-very-easy-did-you-even-read-the-comments?? magical book, the Man and the Woman were transformed into disco experts!
"It was very economical!"

We are lighting up the dance floor!
Classic disco pointing move!

The Woman spins while the Man claps!
Swooshy dresses are the best for spinning!

Where's the Genie Cat, Man?
"Over there!"

I'm digging that awesome vintage 70s disco shirt, gold lion-head necklace, and shiny orange trousers (vintage Versace).
"You must also admire my shiny shoes!"
Those are Fluevogs, of course!

And now, onto my outfits. For my first outfit, I did a classic casual 70s look.
This was based around my vintage 70s shirt. The hair was fluffy and lightly curled, with light make-up (shiny pale pink lipstick!) and classic glasses.


  • Shirt - Pant-Man, vintage 70s, thrifted; last worn here in November 2019 with cropped trousers
  • Skirt - Danier Leather, vintage 90s; last seen here (4th outfit) in October 2019 for a weekend shopping trip (I miss those!)
  • Boots - Vog Together, Fluevog, consignment; last worn here in February with yellow owls

An A-line front buttoned skirt would be more accurate, but I don't have one of those. 

Instead, this late 90s skirt and (probably) early 00s boots will have to do - the 90s were the first time we had a 70s renaissance.

I originally had a pair of black tights on, but swapped them out for nylons.
Coloured/black tights were not really a thing in the 70s.

I wore a lot of knee-high socks in the early 70s, though (check 'em out here, from a retrospective dedicated to my brother Dave).
I really hope knee socks never make a come-back! I'll pass.

The stuff:
The shirt has black, grey and brown in it - I liked how these boots went.

Minimal bling:
The belt is really light - I think it's aluminum.


  • Belt - vintage fair
  • Earrings - Winnie Tam, Abkhazi Gardens gift shop


And here's my disco outfit!
Of course, I had to wear my authentic vintage 70s disco dress!


  • Dress - no label, vintage 70s, thrifted; first worn here (2nd outfit) for the Victoria Film Festival Gala in February 2019
  • Shoes - Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in August 2018 for Justin and Vero's 20th anniversary party


The last time I wore this dress I did all silver accessories, so this time I went with gold.
I adore the ruched top - it has an elastic waist.

Back zip, no pockets.
But look at that handkerchief hem! Perfect for dancing.

The spaghetti straps tie at the neck for an additional halter - I do still have the original skinny tie belt for it too.
Can you believe I paid $11.95 for this dress?

The stuff:
The shoes are solid plastic and smell sweet, like candy. They are pearlized white with the bronzy-metallic heart. They are also impossibly high for me...unless I'm disco dancing!

Gold bling:
Our favourite "Elton John" sunglasses are from the mid-90s. Check out the last time I did a full 70s look with them here, in October 2013.


  • Sunglasses - c. 1996
  • Belt - thrifted, Powell River
  • Flower clip/brooch - Le Chateau
  • Snake bracelet - Whiting and Davis, vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Earrings - vintage fair


I added more sparkle to my make-up. I use all MAC products.
Sorry, my bathroom is pale yellow - I'm really not that yellow in person.

I brushed my hair off to the side, and anchored it with a small gold clip.
Getting dressed up and doing exaggerated fun make-up was a blast.
But Disco is serious business.

While L was waiting for me to arrange things and take pictures (we used the timer on the camera to do all of our dancing pose pics), he read his book.
"I'm so proud of both of you stupid people for figuring this all out."

Vizzini helped by whacking at L's lion pendant.

So...this is how we celebrate our weekends now!
"Disco like there's no tomorrow!"

I hope you enjoyed our disco party!

Stay health and safe, and thank you so much for visiting!

50 comments:

  1. We've been having the odd spontaneous dance party too- next time we'll have to step up our game and dress up! Love the outfits, I kinda want L's disco ensemble. Glad you had a good weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, way to go, Ashley! It really does help keep your spirits up! Thank you so much!

      Delete
  2. Looks like such fun! I love your visit from the genie cat! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was pretty funny to do - the poses were trickier than they look!

      Delete
  3. This post is UTTER GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I very much enjoyed it! So. Much. Fun!!!!
    You both look utterly brilliant! I Adore Mrs L's Disco outfit choices, esp the orange trouser and Fluevog combo! Your dress is beautifully swishy! I think we should all dress up! I would love it if CBC would dress up with me but I just know he won't (spoil sport!)
    Vizzini is a Genie(us)!x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, thanks so much, Kezzie! We had a blast doing it. L is a snazzy dresser - he creates all his own outfits. Show CBC this post - and tell him to just get over the fear that others will stare! The more you dress up, the more natural it feels.

      Vizzini is an evil genius!

      Delete
  4. This is such a fun post Sheila, thanks for putting it together! it's always something that brightens my day seeing your outfits on the blog and I like that you are being even more colourful and original now! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Mica! It was really fun to do this and it only took about an hour. It's hard to motivate to be "normal" in these times, and my blog really helps keep me going.

      Delete
  5. Thank You for another enjoyable weekend post. I look forward to these . Donna

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank goodness for your goofy selves, I really need a bit a goofi-ness at the moment!

    Loooooved your disco party and outfits. You sure know how to have fun. X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Goofiness is a quality I love in people! We all need to tap into our inner goofballs. :)

      Thank you so much, my dear!

      Delete
  7. Fabulous post! Thanks for the entertainment. And The Hustle! I remember dancing that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We'll have to do it together next time we meet! I still remember the moves!

      Delete
  8. OMG - you crazy kids are Hot Stuff! This post was so good I had to call my husband over to have a look! Sadly he was not a disco fan and kinda missed the point; however I was having serious flashbacks! The music was basically crap, but the clothes were certainly glamorous and you could boogie oogie oogie til you just couldn't boogie no more. So much shine, so much sparkle (so much alcohol because That's the Way I Like It.

    So, instead of just Staying Alive, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing!

    Keep well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nana, I got such a chuckle out of all those songs you threw in there, but I do have to take exception to "the music was basically crap"! There was some amazing stuff put out in that time! Chic, Parliament, the Bee Gees - they were reviled by many, but the music is still amazing all these decades later. The good stuff lasts!

      Delete
  9. What a brilliant start to my Monday, thank you so much!
    K-Tel! I remember them well - the cheesiest compilation albums ever.
    I barely recognised L with his hair up. Both your outfits are phenomenal (those sunnies look so good on you!) and I loved to see Vizzini joining in the fun in his own inimitable style.
    I wonder if I've still got my lava lamp? Could be a mission this week!
    Stay fabulous! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Vix! There's a good documentary about K-Tel: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0961717/ - L and I still have a bunch of our K-Tel albums on vinyl!

      I know, L looks very different without his long locks - I had to clip it for him as he couldn't figure out how to do it.

      Thanks! We have quite a bit of 70s fun-wear! Vizzini is such a ham for the camera! Get out that lava lamp, darlin'!

      Thanks, Vix, you too!

      Delete
  10. Brilliant Monday morning week opener for me, going into first full week of lock down. Wonderful colours and joie de vivre ! Well done. My favourites are the sunnies and the earrings together. The whole thing has an early Scooby Doo vibe, with Vizzini standing in for the canine star. Like..... Wow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Juliana, glad you enjoyed it! Lol, love the Scooby-Doo reference - totally!

      Delete
  11. 70's is my favourite era! it's so great to dance again! Well done having fun at home!
    you look fabulous

    Hope you stay healthy and safe
    xoxo
    style frontier

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a great era, I agree! Thanks so much! I appreciate your comment, and will come visit your site.

      Delete
  12. What a brilliant post! Thank you, Sheila, L. and Vizzini the Genie for this marvellous entertainment. What talented actors you all are. Not to mention seriously accomplished dancers. I was smiling from ear to ear, until I came to "Vizzini was gobsmacked". This made me laugh out loud: that face! He really does look gobsmacked, and he might be the most brilliant actor out of you three. But don't tell him I said so! Your disco outfits are to die for - wonder if I could get Jos to wear orange trousers - and your 1970s disco dress was accessorized to perfection. Loving your make-up too! That books looks like so much fun. A true document of its time and a trip down memory lane although, as I was a punk at the time, I did look down on disco dancing back in the day. Like Vix, I remember K-Tel records. I'd completely forgotten about them, though. Stay safe, and keep having fabulous fun! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Ann! We had a hoot doing it! OMG, the dance poses, especially that last one - they were so hard to do! I had to run to get there for the timer and then get into my pose.

      Vizzini has such a funny face, and he was so cranky there.

      Go for it, Jos! We had a blast dressing up, I highly recommend it for getting out of the doldrums. The book is insanely complicated! I didn't like disco then, either, but I love it now.

      Hope you are doing okay, my dear! Thinking of you!

      Delete
  13. Take me to your leader! I will disco with you till the cows come home, though don't actually know how to disco but fake it well enough. :-)
    GORGEOUS Disco outfits for you both, as well as L's smashing 70s stylin' threads!
    Thank you, once again, for the FUN. And, once again, I have forward this post to Robin, Fred and a few friends who will likely smile with sincere appreciation and thanks. :-) Cheers, Laurie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cows? Disco? What kind of madness is this?? Ha, thanks, Laurie! We had so much fun dressing up! Nice, hello, Fred and Robin!

      Delete
  14. Great timing from me to turn up just in time for your show! It looks like you guys are having a ball and hurrah for all that lovely dressing up. Too much talk of lounging around in PJ's from other quarters... and that's not me, I promise. Keep safe my lovelies x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perfect timing, Anna! We really find that a weekend dress-up session just sets the stage for a fun day. I don't even own PJs!

      We are keeping safe, don't worry! Hugs to you, my dear.

      Delete
  15. This is perfection. The best bit being Vizzini's spontaneous rage break; I'm afraid he stole the show! (Although the fashion is of course spectacular, as ever).
    I seem to recall that knee socks did make a brief but appalling comeback (at least here in the UK) around 2010? I was teaching at university then and the students went through a phase of knee high boots with socks poking out the top. I'm not sure if that's also when the more daring ones also tried over the knee socks... it's making me cringe just remembering it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Helen! Vizzini always steals the show...sigh, that cat! What a ham!

      Yes, I remember that sock showing above the boot thing - I'm sure I did it too, here on the blog! I also tried some OTK socks, but they weren't a look that worked for me.

      Delete
  16. Hilarious! And what a lot of fun you had! Such fabulous outfits on both of you and poor Vizzini having to spell it all out for you both - no wonder he attacked his scratching post so viciously!

    I'm old enough to remember the original lava lamps - highly desirable at the time...

    So glad you're having such fun weekends.
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Vronni! We had a blast getting dressed up and figuring out how to pose with a camera timer (it's hard!). Vizzini was happy to "help" us!

      I still love to bring out my lava lamp for parties.

      We're making memories! Instead of going for brunch, we're actually doing this creative thing together. It helps us both, and it's fun!

      Take care of yourself, my dear!

      Delete
  17. What an awesome post!! So cool of Vizzini the Genie Cat to leave you guys a present by his magic lamp. Rocky left me a present last night, but there was nothing magic about it except the smell. That was black magic! Love the incredible outfits!! All kinds of awesomeness! The fury pictures are hilarious...especially the fight with the Fuzzy Snake and the fang picture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Cheryene! Oh dear, those are not good presents. I hope Rocky is okay - and you too!

      I know, I love those pictures! He's so funny.

      Delete
  18. Haha, oh this is so funny! I now have ,,Night Fever,,in my head! I told Gerben last weekend that I wanted to play board games ,just the two of us of course! Because you always do that. We love to play board games.but always do so with friends. Your disco dress is gorgeous, but those shoes!!!! Oh my, my heart skipped a beat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We listened to the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack and the Best of Parliament that night while we played boardgames! Such awesome music.

      I hope you and Gerben can find a game that you like to play together! I like playing with friends too, but with just me and L is my favourite. Thank you, Nancy! Aren't the shoes beautiful?

      Delete
  19. Sensationally fun! You guys really know how to add pizzazz to your life. It's positively inspiring - much like each and every one of your gorgeous ensembles also are.

    Autumn Zenith 🎃 Witchcrafted Life

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Autumn! We've both always loved getting dressed up, so this is a fun opportunity to do some more.

      Delete
  20. wowww, You Are Fabulous!, thanks for cheering us up with your attitude and magnificent clothes!, Disco Gods!
    You're brilliant, dear lady, in every possible meaning. Love all the creativity and fun and fabulousness!. And love your partners in crime! (L.'s orange trousers and those shiny shoes are so Cool!)
    besos & love

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Monica! Ha, we are not quite Disco Gods. L is quite the swanky dresser - how lucky am I??

      Delete
  21. Excellent post - I wish I could have joined you for your Disco party! I may have owned that book at one point, along with the LP, as the cover looks awfully familiar. I desperately wanted to learn how to do "The Hustle" after seeing "Saturday Night Fever" when it came out. Your coordinating disco outfits are brilliant, as are your ace dance moves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was so fun! I bet you did have that book/album, Shelley - wasn't K-Tel everywhere in the 70s?? Thanks so much!

      Delete
  22. My dear Sheila and dear L this was so much fun to read, I smiled through it all. Both looks are fabulous and L's shoes are spectacular.
    This reminded me of those vintage photo novels... it was like watching it "live".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Lorena! L's shoes are in the local Fluevog store's "museum" display!

      Ha, love it! It was fun to do.

      Delete
  23. Those outfits are just perfect - so perfectly disco. (I have a disco playlist on my Spotify; some days you just need a bit of it to liven things up a little.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Mim! I also enjoy a bit of disco here and there - it's great when you want to move.

      Delete
  24. You two took some amazing photos. Great outfits as well. How lovely you both like to dress up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! We had a great time playing around. We've always been fond of getting our dress-up on! So nice to have a partner that enjoys it.

      Delete
  25. Thank you so much for this entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed it. You both look so good in your seventies and nineties outfits. A shame that the pearly shoes are plastic, they look so good with the gold heart. I will not mention everything I like because that would be too much. But a special mention for your brother: had I met him when he was 18 I would have soooo tried to make him my boyfriend haha. Well apart from the fact I am probably older than he is.
    Greetje

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Greetje! We had a blast doing it. The plastic shoes are a nice high-density plastic (and they smell like candy!).

      Ha! My brother is 50 now, but he was a very popular guy back in the day!

      Delete

Comments are so incredibly special, and I love them and hug them and treasure them forever. Please feel free to tell me what you think!

I'm not currently able to respond to comments, but I will make every effort to answer questions. I do read every single one, and appreciate your comments.

Please note that comments containing affiliate links spam-y sites, spam comments and anything I deem inappropriate will be deleted.

Cheers,
Sheila