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It's been a dull wet Monday.

I needed something to cheer myself up.

 So what would you do if you found these in a charity shop?

Fishnet seamed tights and a rather moth-eaten old bowler hat.

Isn't it obvious?

You would ignore the pile of ironing, the vacuuming, and the endless other domestic chores of doom, and spend the afternoon dressing up as Sally Bowles.

Don't pretend you wouldn't.

I hadn't seen the 1972 film of Cabaret for years, but stumbled across it on TV a while back and stayed up past my bed time to watch it. I had forgotten what a fabulous film it is. And I'm not really a big fan of musicals (apart from Grease!)

I think I like it because it's a musical where the songs occur naturally, since it is set in a cabaret club.
And it's political, sexy, and oh so stylish.

Much like myself....

Velvet longline waistcoat, shorts, fishnets, shoe boots, bowler hat, bangles and beads - all charity shopped; false eyelashes - Ebay

Somebody invite me to a fancy dress party, for God's sake. Or a Sing-along-a-Cabaret!

These ridicilously huge tranny false eyelashes were last seen here. I am definitely a drag queen trapped in a real woman's body.

 I think that's another reason why I like Cabaret - the styling of the dancers in the Kit Kat Club isn't pretty-pretty, they look quite masculine and tranny-esque, sexy but a bit scary...

Much like myself...

That's a joke, by the way. I'm not sure whether it's always clear when I'm joking...

So I heartily recommend ditching your chores, charity-shopping/thrifting something crazy, and spending an afternoon recreating an iconic look. For no other reason other than that you can.


Really, you can.

Divine decadence, darlings!
 

And if anyone from the PTA is looking...

...that isn't me.

A little bit of heart and soul

Oh the rain.

It's not raining men, or in my heart.

It probably will rain until September.

Why does it always rain on me?

Yes, here we are in July, and I'm wearing my winter boots. Bloody hell.

 

I like this In-wear frock, which I charity shopped ages ago. I don't wear it so much now as my mostly-black years are behind me. I suppose it's from the 1990s, but the slouchy bat-wingy style reminds me of the 80s.

I'm kind of loving a bit of 1980s style these days, after all those years of mockery.
 
So because I couldn't take any outfit pics today (torrential rain meant outside photos were impossible, and it's been so dark and dreary that the indoor photos were disastrous), I thought I would entertain you with excerpts from my 1980s-early 1990s curly years.


 

I longed for Pre-Raphaelite hair, and paid handsomely to try and achieve it.

 

 

 

 

Permed, dyed, backcombed, with a ton of hairspray - my 1980s hair was chemical-heavy and frankly crackled to the touch. I may have put my own personal hole in the ozone layer. I do apologise.

 

 

 

I wanted to look like... 

 

Sarah Jane Morris...

 

 

 

The Witches of Eastwick...

 

 

Rosie Vela...

 

or Madonna in Dick Tracy.

 

But I fear I was rather more like...

Deidre Barlow. Oh dear.

 

The person I was most often likened to was...

Carol Decker. Hmmm....

 

These days, I don't push too hard against nature. 

 

 

 

 

The hair is straight.

 

(Still dye it though!)

 

Have a good weekend!

  xxx

 

Guess who?

Some days you need an old faithful. 

This 1970s dress is always on stand-by for those what shall I wear? days. The weather is drizzly and overcast but not cold, I find it hard to know what to wear.

Dress (vintage shop), denim jacket, shoes, tights and bracelets (charity shops), beads (gift from new mum Liz)

I received a fabulous book for my birthday from my old friend Sally, called Lifestyle Illustration of the 60s, edited by Rian Hughes. Full of wonderful magazine illustrations, they capture so much about the time they were published.

As I flicked through, I couldn't help spotting a few images which reminded me of bloggy pals...

 Sarah Misfits aplenty!

A trio of Kristas.

A fabulous Vix-a-like.

Here's Joni!

Claire and her (rather orange) boyfriend in the Chiltern hills.

Sara's gettin' cosy...

Triple funky Ariane.

Melanie's off to the festival on her scooter.

All the Desiree look-a-likes were in their cossies or scanties... I know what that fella in the top right pic is thinking!

Heavenly Helga, bet she's having fun Stateside.

Melanie's beautiful curls.

Aren't they just fabulous?

Me? Well, on a good day...

I'd love that frock!

  xxxx

A tale of gambles, gifts, and a new Balotelli

Oh loves his football. I'm a bit indifferent, but the whole family has been watching the Euro 2012 championships, namely because we did a sweepstake at the start. Each of us drew 3 teams out of the hat, with one left over (for the cats!)

Eldest won some chocolate for getting the most points at the end of the group stage, but the big final tonight (Spain-Italy, for the uninitiated/uninterested) is between me (Italy) and the felines (who got Spain, the favourites!)

But the really big win came courtsey of OH and Mario Balotelli.

I came back from a PTA meeting on Thursday evening to find the football on the TV, but OH hovering in the other room, hopping around like a toddler who needs a wee, saying "I can't watch, we're on to win some money." He sometimes has a flutter on big football matches, and unbeknown to me, had put a tenner on Italy to beat Germany 2-1, with Balotelli to score the first goal. Anyone who watched it knows that is exactly what happened.

What are the chances? Well, William Hill said they were 70-1, that's what! Which made him a cool £700!

So off we went for a Chinese to celebrate (we need very little excuse to go out to eat!)

After some discussion about the best way to spend the windfall, the decision was to buy a new TV. OH has wanted a better TV for ages, but we've never had the spare cash, so off we went to town on Saturday morning with £700 in used notes in a brown envelope, how dodgy did that look!

Eldest had a little flash of inspiration. 

What should we call our swanky new TV? Why, our Balotelli*, of course, in homage to Mario!

*Do other parts of the world apart from the UK refer to TV as the telly?

This wasn't the only piece of good fortune this week.

 

I received a lovely parcel of deliciousness from dear Liz; a wonderful 1960s Crimplene frock, blue 1980s beads, Barry M nail varnish in Denim, a fabulously feathery handmade hairclip, and a bag of fruit jellies (which had been scoffed by the time this pic was taken... whoops!)

Thank you, Liz! Given that you are currently growing another little human who is due to emerge into the world any day now, I'm really amazed and touched that you found the time and energy to send me such delightful gifts!

This was me today.

Jumpsuit and hair flower (retail, sale), cardigan and bangles (charity shopped), beads (gift from Liz)

A quiet Sunday. Which was fine by me. 

OH restrained himself, but said he would have bet on Italy to win 1-nil. 

As we speak, Spain are 4-nil up. This is why we aren't millionaires, and why the £700 Balotelli will go down in family folklore as a freaky stroke of luck. Or fine judgment and intuition, depending on who is telling the story!

Hope you've had a lucky weekend!

  xxx