WTFF: Cabaret Cool

Last night I did something I haven't done in a while - I sang in front of an audience.  Over 100 paying guests actually.  Thankfully they weren't really there to see me so I didn't have to worry about the pressure of disappointing.  Also thankfully, my number came up close to the end when most patrons had downed at least one alcoholic beverage.  It's like the Karaoke Equation in reverse - the more drinks you consume, the more awesome you become at singing but this is the more drinks they consume the better I become at singing.  Win win for everybody.
Good times were had by all and hats off to Greg and Heidi for pulling the whole Little Winter Cabaret together.  Fingers crossed there will be more nights of great music, great No. 7 Balmac food, and great company.

Singing faces - never make for a flattering photo

So what did I wear for my foray into my past music life?  A frock of course!  Never look a gift horse in the mouth and pass up the chance to tizzy yourself up I say.  I have a moth-eaten wardrobe of "performance attire" that I never really get to delve into.  However I didn't feel this was the night to slap on a full-length ball gown so the moths were left to their meal.  Instead I picked a dress I bought a few years back at Hype (Dunedin fashion store) to cover me for a wedding or two.  It's clearly a dress I bought pre-babies.  No woman in her right mind who's had a baby would choose a dress like this unless they were an A-list celebrity with a bevy of personal trainers and nutritionists tucked in their size 0 back pockets.  But I was determined to wear this dress again as I really like it and if I have more sprogs, it probably really will have to go in the "I once wore this" pile.  You basically can't wear underwear with this dress (too much information?  Possibly but I've written it now and I can't be bothered back-spacing it all) as it's so close fitting so I had a few... 'functionality' issues with wearing this dress.  NB.  If you thought the no underwear thing was TMI then you probably don't want to read the rest of this paragraph.  Firstly, if you read my last post you know I'm breastfeeding.  No bra or more to the point, no breast pads, is a dangerous proposition.  So I jammed a couple of breast pads into the crop top that goes with the dress.  I was incredibly paranoid I would have two circular lumps over my boobs that would be clearly visible on the stage, but I figured that would have paled in comparison to having a milk-stained frontage.  Secondly, I have really, hairy legs at the moment.  Really.  Tights were a compulsory accessory so I just had to hope that no big tights seam weaved it's way up my belly.  See, no post-baby woman in their right mind would choose a dress like this.
I'm really selling this to you aren't I?  It's a fine line when you really want to wear something, but it just doesn't fit you like it used to.  How many times do you see people wearing something that probably looked fine on them at one point in time but they just haven't bothered to look in the mirror for the last 3 years?  I considered this a lot before I decided to don this dress, especially when I was going to be in front of an audience and decided I still had a little bit of wear left in it.

You can see what I mean about the underwear - had it on for this shot.  And note corner Gremlin...

What do I love about this dress apart from the fact that it's underwear-incompatible?  The colour.  It's what drew me to it in the first place.  The dress is like a classic Little Black Dress except it's teal.  I think the label called it "Kingfisher Blue" although it's not quite what I think that colour is but either way, it's beautiful.  I love the back of this dress. the shape, the twist in the jersey at the top, the reveal without too much reveal... it's awesome.  The length and neckline - the dress shows a bit of skin at the back and it's figure-hugging so it does the right thing and doesn't show decolletage or too much leg.  And finally the material.  What make the dress so unforgiving is also what makes it beautiful - the knit is soft and light but not too light that it doesn't have shape.

The one concession I made to any self-consciousness I had in wearing this dress was in the tie I wore around the middle.  I thought that by adding that small accessory, I broke up the line of my figure and highlighted my waist so that I had a more hour glass shape.  I bought the scarf at Guess when I was in the States years ago.  I'm not very good at using scarves and belts so I haven't worn it that much but I love the pattern and the colours which toned in perfectly with the dress.  It also allowed me to wear my navy blue opaque tights and keep in matchy matchy mode.  I tried to have the knot of the tie sitting low around the back so it didn't spoil the line of the back of the dress.

Earrings (that you can't really pick out in the photos) are old and falling apart but the wee white stones hopefully picked up a bit of light on stage.  And when holding a mic, having a large ring is obviously an eye-catching accessory so I wore the same ring from this outfit.

The shoes are French Connection and are my go to basic heel.  The deep brown colour makes a nice change from black and I love the stripe detail on the heel and toe.  Heels are an obvious essential for this dress as my arse needs all the help it can get.  Heels = top arse help, in case you didn't know.

My Cabaret Cool served me well for my wee trip back into music.  I feel I may have to look for another  cabaret outfit just in case I decide to work the vocal chords again...

Wee Edie had a bit of a rough week with broken glasses and croup etc so I didn't put a frock on her and take her photo.  That would probably have been more than she could handle, poor wee mite.  Edie frocky goodness this week, I promise.

PS.  A big thanks to Greg, Heidi, the band and other musicians, and all the helpers who made Little Winter Cabaret such a good night out.  I hope the good word spreads and you get lots of support for future adventures.  And an extra thanks to Heidi for taking the 'action' shots.

Me and my dress think you should Hit the Road, Greg.

Cool Shit Monday

A few randoms this week: stuff I want to share and not force into a cheesy theme like I do sometimes.  Cheesy themes are well and good but I don't feel like one just now.  Things don't have to match all the time, only most of the time.

These digitally printed tops are about the coolest thing I've seen in some time.  The colours are fantastic, I love the boat neckline, and the idea itself is just so freaking... cool.  I can't decide which one I like best.

I think this is so cute!  Lauren, the lady it behind Mixie Studio, created this in order to streamline her grocery shopping so she didn't spend time going back and forth for stuff she'd forgotten.  She thought out the layout of her supermarket then created divisions in her shopping list to match so that she would collect her groceries in order.  Then she posted it on her blog and made it downloadable so you too can shop with precision.  Love it!

I don't have an iPhone.  Phil does.  If I'm a good girl he lets me look at it sometimes.  But I'm not allowed to look too long and I'm certainly not allowed to touch it.  OK I'm joking but he does love it.  The best news for me is that my phone is about to fossilise completely.  The phone company is forcing it into retirement, it's such a hunk of junk.  It almost has an analogue clock face it's that old.  And when my prehistoric phone is finally put to rest, I get Phil's hand-me-down iPhone.  In anticipation of this joyous event, I have already purchased a pretty iPhone cover but I did so before I found this site.  I love the cover I bought but I may have to start a collection because there's so much coolness here.

I went to see Taieri Musical Society's production of Jesus Christ Superstar on Saturday night.  It was a bit of treat as Phil and I got to leave Edie with a baby sitter and go crazy (if your definition of crazy is to go to Mosgiel to see a musical).  We knew quite a few of the performers in the show which always adds another dimension to the experience as you get to cheer on your mates.  I wanted to let you know about one particularly amazing friend who did a top job.  If you've somehow managed to have your head in a bucket for most of your life and you don't know the story of Jesus' final days on earth, then let me tell you that Mary Magdalene plays a small but key role in that story.  In the musical, Mary is the only female lead role and gets to sing a couple of songs that are really well known but actually, it's a pretty crap role.  I think this is because all the men on stage are dealing with serious inner turmoil and there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth.  As a performer, the dudes of the show are able to get stuck in and peacock around, parading their singing and acting chops.  Poor Mary is left to be the foil for all the madness.  She's the calming influence, the moderate.  And it sucks to be that wet blanket when all you want to do is scream and jump up and down like everyone else.  So when you get a young, passionate, and fiery girl taking on such a roll, you've gotta feel for her.  But boy howdy did Kylie Price take that calm, serene, Mary and play her with the maturity of a seasoned pro.  And I'm not really surprised as Kylie is a seasoned pro.  Fresh off a win at the Gold Guitars, Kylie is a singer with serious credentials.  She is not one of those 'pop stars in the making' that simply look pretty and can (sort of) carry a tune, she is an incredible singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and all-round musician.  On top of this, she has a brain (praise the lord!  A young artist doing well who actually deserves their success).  Earlier this year Kylie released her first single on iTunes and you should check it out.  I hope we'll be hearing a lot more about Kylie Price in the years to come.  Cool doesn't even begin to describe her.

Cool Shit Monday: Oldies but Goodies

I've recently rediscovered a few things that I had forgotten existed.  Sometimes that's for the best, for example, any outfit I wore between the ages of 12 and 18, but in this cases I've unearthed some loved gems.

This camera.  I'm not a big photographer or photography aficionado (you're shocked, I know.  My photos are so amazing and all) but even this appeals to me.  So this camera was originally released back in the early 60s as a novelty item but quickly became the darling of the photography world for the cool imperfections it created in its photos.  This is a re-release of the original complete with handbook and accessories so even photo-failures like me have a shot at getting a good pic but the fact that it's all supposed to go a little bit wrong appeals to me.  And you get the added bonus of having a coral camera. If that ain't cool, I don't know what is.

From www.modcloth.com

Shit My Dad Says.  I'm sure most of you will have seen this website or the book or the facebook page or any other number of ways of viewing this wonderful thing, but I'm reminding you to look again.  The concept is a simple one: a guy in his adult years lives with his elderly father, father comes out with classic Dad phrases and advice, guy writes these down.  Whoop de doo.  But it is seriously some of the funniest stuff you will read.  You get some typical dad-isms mixed with brutal honesty, perceptive insight, and a little bit of old person racism/stereo-typing.  Nothing funnier.  Go read and give yourself a smile.  I dare you not to laugh out loud.

The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra has been round for a number of years now (Bret Mackenzie was one of their founding members dontcha know), fighting the good fight for slightly dorky music.  I know, that doesn't make them sound all that cool but believe me, they are.  You have to be uber-cool to pull off a B-side Prince number, "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man", and not destroy it.  You have to be hyper-awesome to make me want to sing Kenny Rogers' 'Ruby' over and over.  And you need to be get-out-of-town amazing to take a song like 'Africa' by Toto and make me want to put it on repeat.  So much better than the original.  They manage to be both self-deprecating and actually good all at once.  It's a talent.  Check them out if you haven't already, and put them on your playlist again if you've been neglecting them.

Not my favourite song but the best video.

This website has provided me with hours of amusement and I had forgotten all about it until Frankie magazine reminded me of it's awesome existence.  I try to be positive on this blog (because my true inclination is to be scathingly sarcastic and that's just not very healthy to indulge on a daily basis) but I freely admit that Cake Wrecks is all about showing you the idiots of the world.  Through baking.  Could there be a better combo (jam and cream are up there of course)?

Some biscuits have a mystery about them - they are ridiculously simple and yet so good.  Chocolate Digestives are just such a biscuit.  I believe the UK equivalent are McVities and Chocolate Malted Milks in the US.  It's a wheaten (boring) with a thin layer of chocolate (thin?!  stink!) that must barely qualify as chocolate as the cocoa percentage is so low.  Am I selling it?  But somehow, somehow the combination of all these really average things makes a delicious biscuit that is one of the best dunking biccies I know (you just need to make sure it's a quick dunk, not a gingernut-length dunk).  Interestingly, their rival brand equivalent, the Chocolate Wheaten, is a bit shit.  I'm sure that there must be all sorts of disgusting additives to make the Chocolate Digestive as good as it is, but I'm going to stay blissful in my ignorance.  In fact I am going to have a cup of nice earl grey and a Chocolate Digestive or two right now.

Also, if you happen to have anyone who is an oldie but a goodie close at hand, I suggest you give them  cuddle (or a high-five if you're a bit anti PDA and physical contact).  That's some cool shit right there.

See You Tomorrow...

Righto my dedicated readers (hi Mum), we're going to visit Edie's Nana and Grandad for Queen's Birthday Weekend.  I'm not sure Oamaru has discovered the internet yet so I'm taking a break from the blog but will be ready for Cool Shit Monday.  I encourage you to raise a glass to Liz and her diamonds, eat some cake, and sit on your chuff.

In the mean time, here's an annoying pop song to get stuck in your head.  It's stuck in mine so I'm spreading the love.