Connie's Costumes

Lately, as I've been trying to keep up with my vintage lifestyle/beauty commitment, I've been paying more attention to my coiffure. Ever since I loved Lucy rockin' the Italian Cut in the Black Wig episode I've completely fallen for it! Originally themed on Gina Lollabrigida's chic look, the Italian Cut looked great on many a mid-century maiden, including Liz Taylor and...my idol of the moment...Connie Francis!

Ok, I'm no Connie Francis and I realize I can never hope to be that gorgeous until my next lifetime...in any case, check out my redo of the 'do...

Speaking of Connie...these paper dolls were definitely worth re-blogging from HOUSE OF RETRO! And right in tune with my current mid-century madness! I would thu-rillll to wear anything of these outfits, especially the ones I've mentioned in the captions...

Hi, I'm Connie...let's play dress up!

I'll take that quilted pink robe, yellow headscarf, LBD and fur jacket...

Kimono robe, red ensemble with headscarf! Pink dress and short black evening jacket...

Collared grey dress, red dress, pink ensemble and that yummy, rose-festooned party dress...

Purple unmentionables...black dress and bag, red coat...

Blue dress! Yellow dress! Red and white dress with hat! Polka dot midriff! Black gown with fur and a tiara...

Black jacket with pink skirt, red shorts with floral top, yellow ensemble with pearls!

Here's Bianca!

The best part of Drag Race is another season...another reason...for the colorful, campy caricatures created by the amazing Chad Sell!

A Very Buttry Halloween

Enjoy this thrilling adventure from the fantasy files of deep, dark, and dramatic...Buttry Brown!!

WARNING! Not for the faint of heart!!! (...and if you're at all opposed to the term "Honky" then I'd suggest skipping this one...)

Edith & Audrey

I see Google is currently honoring the 116th birthday of one of the most innovative fashion designers of all time...the amazing Edith Head! I say we do the same!

Happy Birthday, Edith!   ...I wish I knew ya...

And with her spirit in mind, I just know YOU are going to love this clip featuring a young, innocent and utterly charming Audrey Hepburn screen-testing a few of Edith's creations from Roman Holiday! Ciao, darlings!!

Deep Thoughts

Seattle photographer David Peterman dreams of dreamy underwater dreams.....dreaming dreamy dreams like these deep-down, downright dreamy glamour shots of decidedly dreamy  Jamie Von Stratton dreamily dreaming her own dreams as she dreamily floats beneath those dreamy depths!

BurlyQ Princesses

I don't think Walt Disney had a mind as dirty as mine...or yours. I have a feeling Walt's mind was probably filled with colorful, lovable forest creatures, virgins, heroes, rainbows and happy endings......hey, NOT THAT KIND OF HAPPY ENDING! Stop it! You know what I mean.

But these depictions of the fair, virginal Disney Princesses by artist MADHANZ prove that some people may have tended...possibly since childhood...to look at Disney's fair, virginal Princesses in a more...imaginative way! I love these with all my heart!!

Cinderella

Ariel

Aurora

Belle

Snow White

Jasmine

Who I'd Like To Meet in 2013

The kinky, the kitschy, the cornballs and clowns...

Pagans, performers and peers...

The oddballs, the outcasts, the out-of-the-ordinary...

Colorful crazies and queers...

The fetishists, faghags, the fearless, the fools...

Artists and anarchists, too...

People whose one rule is breaking the rules...

Oh, you know...people just like me and you!

HAPPY PRIDE!!
most photos via Robert Wade

Goldie Gown

My fanatical thrift-shopping friend, Babe of Belltown, is forever gifting me with fabulous finds from his fashion forays! He's given me some great stuff over the years....like my silver leather trench coat, for instance...he knows The Gams goes for The Glitz! So, true to form, Babe recently presented me with the most golden Golden Gown I've ever gawked at...incredibly, a vintage Jessica McClintock Gunne Sax creation! I've named her Goldie...because she practically insisted!

Photos don't do her justice...she's really got to be seen to be believed! I like to think of her as sort of a mullet of a gown...respectable, simple lines up front...party in the back!!

So here's the front...she's strapless, floor length and, miraculously, just the right length as well!

Just look at the fabulous sequining!

Ok, now take a peek at the back!

Not only is there this fabulous bow closure that hides the zipper...

...but a fuckin' bustle!  I've lifted her skirt here so you can see the amount of tulle going on underneath!

And, of course...the label!

It says 5-6 but she's kidding...she's more of a 1-2...which is probably why she was orphaned in the first place. I can barely squeeze into her, and I usually swim in a 5-6...vintage sizing can be confusing. In any case, Goldie and I will be sharing the stage tonight during my vocal performance at ROCK-A-RAISE! 

Thanks, Babe! Mwwwahhhhh!

Captain Jamie

Oh, and one more thing, loved ones...if you'd like to see the creator of those cute little aqua 'flight suits'...

...check out another uber-fabulous friend of mine, designer Jamie Von Stratton...on Perez TV!

By the time you get to almost  the end, you'll see Jamie wearing the exact same Captain Jamie uniform...with none other than the legendary Bob Mackie! Yay!

Cocktail Pick

Presenting, for your eyes only! My newest costume is fit for...Antipasto!...or your Auntie's Antipasto...and if your Auntie wears your panties while enjoying Antipasto, all the better!

This is what I've designed for the premiere performance of my newest character...that Hot Li'l Piece o' Paisano.....
Fifi Kalamata! Take note of those tasty red satin 'pimentos' and sparkling green gems...and as you can see, I wasn't stingy with the fringy...look at that swing! Bing-bada-bing!

Well, twist my swizzle stick! How about this snappy cap for garnish? You can't see the tasty insides but it's lined with that same sassy red satin as the pimientos! Mangia bene!

Yes, friends...I realize a Kalamata is actually a blackish-brown olive with a smooth, meaty texture named after the city of Kalamata in southern Greece...

...but that's no fun, is it? I prefer the snappy green Spanish variety with juicy red pimientos winkin' atcha...

But, who is this Fifi Kalamata anyway?? Is she French? Oui! Italian? Sì!  Greek? Vαί!  Pickled in brine?? Why, she's the Hot Tomata make ya glad she's not ya dotta! She's the Senorita t'which the boys all beat their meat-a! Not only does she really know how to move her moussaka, but you should see what she can do with the Mambo Italiano, a buncha balloons and one very sharp olive pick!

I know what you're thinking, darlings! "Great gnobs of gnocchi, Gams! You really know how to pick 'em!!"