What We Should Celebrate...

Last week I got into a somewhat heated discussion with my wife about the story of NBC Sports "editing" the Pledge of Allegiance in a patriotic montage they used in their coverage of the US Open. (They took out the part where the class of kids said "under God".) I argued that we had made a fetish of this piece of much-edited 19th Century doggerel ("under God" was added in the 1950s, "indivisible" sometime before that) and that I would much rather our schoolkids memorized something with real meaning to our nation's values. Asked what that should be, I responded, "How about the Preamble to the Constitution?" I think that is something schoolkids should recite every morning, rather than an oath of allegiance to a piece of cloth.

Well, we're coming up on Independence Day, so I went looking for something to celebrate with here. I'd have loved to find the musical version of the Preamble I sang in Junior High School chorus (but all I could find was the Schoolhouse Rock song--it's cute, but doesn't have the drama of the one we sang). Instead, here's a little kitsch...William Shatner as James Kirk, from the Star Trek episode "The Omega Glory". Like anything Shatner does, it's a touch over the top, but....



Happy Fourth to you all!

Because It's June 18

Closing out the month, here's an outfit I wasn't at all sure of when I first considered putting it together. The layered top bought at Burlington years ago and the midi-length kilt picked up at a thrift store a few months back. With the corset, it's a surprisingly curvy combo.



More props--a different bag and the umbrella again. Accessories are white hair bow, gold jewelry, light hose and red plaid peep-toe pumps.



Another portrait, again with the new foundation and a different look to the eyes.



More on Flickr. This'll be the last dressing/photo session for about two weeks. The wife and I are traveling over the holiday weekend and then she's taking a week of vacation. I'll try to fill in with some art and other stuff.

Because It's June 17

Another of my oldest purchases--the filmy blue print dress from Burlington Coat Factory. With the corset underneath, I think it looks better than I ever has. I tried to play a little with some props this time...a handbag and an umbrella.



Accessories are blue hair bow, silver jewelry, light hose and blue peep-toe pumps.



A note on the portrait--I bought a new, darker foundation, on the advice from some private comments that I seemed a bit pale. I agree that it looks better, do you?



More pics on Flickr, one more outfit later today.

Because It's June 16

The second outfit today combines the blue and silver top from Kmart with the pencil skirt bought at a thrift store. The whole thing works better than I thought it would...particularly in terms of making my figure look great.



Accessories are a blue hair bow, silver jewelry, black belt, light hose and gray pumps. The belt originally came with another dress...but it's a perfect fit for this skirt.



And one more portrait:



More pics on Flickr; final dressing/photo session for June tomorrow.

Because It's June 15

OK...here it is. This is the one-shouldered Grecian-like gown I got from Fashion Bug. Yes, I don't look as good as the model (even with the corset I can't quite pull off her hourglass figure) and definitely not as good as Leslie Parrish, but a few of these shots look really good.



Here are three of the best:





Accessories are gold jewelry, light hose and neutral peep-toe pumps. I wasn't too sure about the shoes, but they seem to work great. Finally, here's a portrait:



More pics on Flickr...and a very different outfit later.

What's a Grecian Urn?

...oh, about two bucks an hour.

OK...so I ordered (and have now received) this Grecian gown inspired dress from Fashion Bug.



Why? Well, when I saw it, I was immediately reminded of this image:



Now, I can't hope to look as smashing as Leslie Parrish did as Carolyn Palamas in the Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?"...but I'd like to think I could look pretty good. You'll all get to judge early next week when I wear it for the first time. Still haven't decided which hair to wear with it...

Because It's June 14

One of my earliest purchases, this two-piece outfit features a faux-tunic top over a black skirt. It looks better than ever with the corset underneath.



Accessories are white hair bow, gold jewelry, dark hose and black patent pumps with a spike heel.



The hand gesture in this portrait is serendipitous...I was moving my arm as the flash went off.



More pics on Flickr. Dressing next week is still up in the air...it's a week leading up to the holiday and could be very busy at work. First week of July will be "Dani-less"...wife and I are taking a trip.

Because It's June 13

Happy Summer Solstice to you all! For this joyous day, let's begin with the shirt dress from Target with the tiny dots. I love this dress for a lot of reasons, including the pattern, the length of the hem and now, especially, the way it fits with the corset.



I'm very happy with the way this whole photo session came out, but especially with a couple of shots...the ones on the right above and below. Everything about them seems so right--the pose, the expression, the way the clothing falls.

Accessories are polka-dot hair bow, silver jewelry, dark hose and polka-dot peep-toe pumps.



This portrait also came out well, I think:



Additional pics on Flickr; I hope to get the second dressing session posted tonight, or definitely by tomorrow evening.

Because It's June 12

As promised, after this morning's black-and-white dress, this outfit is more colorful: A navy blouse with silver threads bought at Kmart earlier this year and the long red skirt from Kmart a few years back.



Accessories are a pale blue headband, gold jewelry, white belt, light hose, and red patent spike heel pumps.



And another portrait attempt:



Additional pics on Flickr; more dressing/photo sessions tomorrow

Because It's June 11

The month of weddings, graduations and Dad's Day (I hope you all had a happy one) continues with this animal-print dress from Fashion Bug, one of several black-and-white dresses I've acquired in the past year or so.



Accessories are black headband, red-and-white jewelry, black belt, fishnet hose, and black patent pumps.



And here's a portrait:



More pics on Flickr; a different, far more colorful outfit, later today...

Because It's June 10

Here's my red ruffled party dress...looking better than it ever has in the past. Clearly this is a dress that needed the corset.



Accessories are a new red bow from Claire's, pearls, dark hose, and red patent pumps.



For comparison, here's a look at one of the first times I wore this dress:



Here's a portrait:



More pics on Flickr; next dressing session some time next week.

Because It's June 9

Here's a look that came out even better than I expected. The elegant pleated blouse was bought at a thrift store a few months back and the pink zebra-print skirt is from Kmart, probably at least two years old.



The accessories are a white hair bow, gold jewelry, light hose and pink patent pumps.



And here's a portrait:



More pics on Flickr; another outfit from today will be posted later or tomorrow.