MrB and I went to a dinner celebrating our gorgeous friend Joanna’s @&#th birthday last Thursday. That’s what the menu said: “@&#th Birthday Bash.” Unfortunately, I wasn’t wearing my swear rings to match the menu.
Instead, I wore a vintage Ossie Clark maxi that I bought last year from Vintage-a-Peel and the Cleopatra necklace that I wrote about in yesterday’s post. Coincidentally, yesterday’s post includes a photo of me wearing a Marie France dress that I got from Vintage-a-Peel and there’s a very similar one for sale right now. Let’s pause for a moment in case you want to do some shopping.
Click to buy this Marie France dress at Vintage-a-Peel.
Anyway, as you can see from the lower right corner of my outfit photo, it was so windy that night that my camera couldn’t keep up. We were taking the picture without a flash in front of a well-lit grocery store. I kind of like the effect.
Click to see a picture of this dress from 2009.
Dress: Ossie Clark from Vintage-a-Peel (2009)
Shoes: Same old gold Louis Vuittons (pre-2005)
Bag: Prada
Necklace: Cleopatra by Wendy Brandes
Lip color: Violetta by MAC
While MrB was taking my picture, a Good Samaritan couple walked by and offered to take our picture together. I said no thanks. They seemed shocked by this, so I said that we were taking the picture for a fashion blog. Then they got all Bad Samaritan on our asses — criticizing us for choosing a supermarket for a location, saying “humph!” and so on. I was happy when they stormed off.
It reminded me of another Bad Samaritan photo incident last year. A friend who was taking a picture of me was trying to do something artistic with the neon signs in the background, so when a female bystander offered to take a picture of us together, he said no. She sulkily said, “I wasn’t gonna steal your camera or nothin’.” We hadn’t considered that as a possibility before she brought it up, but now I think of it whenever I do hand over a camera to a stranger. Also, have you noticed that all stranger-taken photos look like they were shot from a great distance? Seriously, the person wielding the camera can be standing two feet away but might as well be standing on Mars because you still wind up looking like specks in the bottom quarter of the frame. What’s up with that?
wowza! MR. B is some photographer! He did a great job:) And you look gorgeous as always!
smiles,
gina
So funny that the would-be good-doer got huffy. I love the image of them humphing. Hilarious!
Ahhh it’s strange that until now, I’ve never thought about the stranger stealing cameras thing. I guess usually, I am being a bit of a tourist and want to get a hasty group photo.
Anyway I love that dress on you but Wendy, you look amazing in anything!
That dress is absolutely amazing on you!
I do know people who have had their cameras stolen that way, so I’m actually a little paranoid about the Good Samaritan photographer types. However, I’m not so paranoid that it stops me from handing over my camera for the shot.
okay you are looking so hot! I love the ossie clark dress. and it’s so true about other people taking your picture. hahaha!!
Oooh, weird freaky thing at the bottom of the dress. I do like it! And that dress is one of my faves on you. The muted floral is so lovely.
You look amazing in your Ossie dress!! that flower print is always so cool…
the little tidbit about the good samaritan is hilarious…I generally just dont like strangers, I pretend I don’t speak English.
Loving your Ossie dress. That is vintage-a-licious looking. And I like that the Violetta is getting a workout. It’s a kickass colour.
That necklace just works with so many outfits!
I really like the well-lit grocery store effect, I must say! And WORD (as in, I completely agree) with the stranger-photo-taking phenom!
I was thinking that the dress moving in the wind looked great. You are very close to a “Marilyn moment!” Way to go MrB — his photo skills are getting better.
By the way, what the hell kind of birdsnest is on that mannequin’s head?
Love the whole get up. I hate to say this but the first thing that caught my eye was the Prada. I love that bag, even considering buying a preloved one here!
you look like a million bucks! like someone’s comment said, you have kind of a Marilyn Monroe vibe going on in that shot!
xoxo alison
looking fabulous…as always… =) this is one of my fave dresses of yours…
“Seriously, the person wielding the camera can be standing two feet away but might as well be standing on Mars because you still wind up looking like specks in the bottom quarter of the frame. What’s up with that?” now THIS made me laugh…so so true…i usually say…’get the shoes in, please’ i get strange looks…but i don’t care…who wants a picture of half a body?
You look gorgeous in the Ossie dress. xo Mish
oh my…you know i get this ALL the time… at least you had paul with you taking pictures, i have a tripod and remote, measuring out the focal point and light readings, and people ask if they can take my pic. like it looks like i’ve never done it before.
btw i love your ossie clark dresses, they’re so beautiful!
love that dress on you. Gorgeous as always. That happens to us all the time when my husband is taking my lookbook picture. Too funny that they had to go and criticize your location. BAD Samaritans!
Hahaha love the bad Samaritan stories. Fab dress and well that necklace what can I say!
LOVE that dress! You look fab. 🙂
Xx
You know what’s up with that? Most people just don’t know how to take decent pictures! Hand in your camera to any of my family members and you’ll get a fantastic picture of everything around you and if you’re lucky your head will make an appearance too! Full body shots are apparently not that popular with them 😉 On a more serious note, I kind of always think of a possibility of having my camera stolen when and if I do hand over my camera to a stranger. Thankfully, this never happened to me before, but I don’t really want it to ever happen, so if I absolutely have to, I try to choose a perso that looks more or less reliable… If it’s actually really possible to judge by one’s appearance?
No I never let a stranger near my camera, luckily no one has asked so far. But I don’t often have pictures taken in public places. Lovely dress.
“By the way, what the hell kind of birdsnest is on that mannequin’s head?”
That’ll be me trying to pin a wig up so you can see the full effect of the dress. Wigs are kinda difficult to pin artfully. I don’t think it looks so bad, ah well.
Wendy, you look amazing in the Ossie! So happy you bought it, and thank you for featuring the Marie France – birds nest an’ all! 😉
That whole Bad Samaritan thing is weird. You offer help knowing it might be refused or accepted; don’t get stroppy at either reaction.
My best photo taken by a stranger was on the shores of Lake Michigan. My sister and I posed, and our photographer’s friend mooned the camera behind our backs. I had no idea until we developed the film.
I still hate pictures being taken of me. I always look horrible. You on the other hand! Can I say, “Wowza”, again?!? WOWZA!
I love your Ossie Clark dresses, they suit you so well! Weird about those people getting all huffy. I actually do think about the camera getting stolen as I know people its happened to ):
XXX
Suzanne
I guess I’m a cynic. I ALWAYS worry that my camera’s gonna get stolen when I hand it over to a stranger!
I love the blur on the hem of this gorgeous dress … such a great effect.
Ohhh! I love the maxi dresses! I am actually on the hunt for maxi dresses to accommodate the expanding tummy. Those dresses are love!
On the subject of Bad Samaritans… when I went to London on my own, I was the one who couldn’t give my camera to strangers because I was scared it would get stolen. Sad that I can be so distrustful! But you know I’ve been stolen from, right?
that dress friggin rocks
when jacob used to take my pictures sometimes people would offer to take our picture together too! usually i just said yes because i was too embarrassed to tell them why he was taking my picture! or i’d say nahh cause it’s for my mom, lol.
you look GORGEOUS in that dress!
So true about the stranger pic that looks miles away! I make it a point that if I offer to take a stranger’s pic, to make it a good one. If you offered, no point in half-assing it! By the way, you’re way more trusting than me! I always give the stranger the “once over” before forking over my camera…just keeping it real!
Darling you look HOT HOT HOT in that shot! love the vintage ossie clark with your Cleopatra necklace!
I love those LV shoes honey!
hahaha to the camera samaritan accounts hun :), I can relate to them! and yes the images always end up looking so far away for whatever reason!
xx
marian.
Well, you look just fabulous in that Ossie!
So beautiful Wendy! Hmm I’ve never had a Bad Samaritan moment with someone taking my picture, although when I get asked to take someone’s photo I try to frame the photo nicely–none of that “too far away” or “you didn’t get the tourist attraction in the background” nonsense. 🙂
hahahahaha! This post made me laugh. You are SO right, about the ‘tudes and the crappy pics. I also like when they ask, so I just press this?! No, dude, camera design drastically changed while you were sleeping last night and you don’t press the one large button anymore.
Your dress makes me swoon. Loves it.
I like the effect in this photo.
And what trollops! Both Bad Samaritans! They were probably cursing you as they walked away.
Congrats to Mr. B on the great composition of the beautiful photo. You are slightly to the right, with the ‘golden section’ 1.6:1 centering precisely on your beautiful golden necklace. Yep, only your necklace, just that alone was what was centered at the golden section. 🙂
Why are people are so passive aggressive with the photo taking offers sometimes? You should have told them, ‘Why no thank you, Annie Leibovitz is getting some bottled water inside the grocery store before she comes back out here and takes my picture.’
Brilliant suggestion.
That dress is the best Miss Wendy, it looks so flawless on you! The photo thing is bizarre with the Bad Samaritans, they need to get a grip!
Smiles at you,
tp
I don’t know what’s up with that, but this photo of you doesn’t need any help. At all. You look saucy and wonderful. The dress is perfect!
Well, jeez unless you said Fauk Off I dont need my picture taken, why would they get pissed? You just said No. Sigh. People, people,people.
Off those lame asses.=)
I love those gold shoes, the pop with that dress. You are so chic.
Hahah so true! We just got our photos back from a ski trip in switzerland, and all the ones taken by strangers are about 90% white background, and then 2 tiny speck figures!
That Ossie dress is completely stunning on you xxx
The Bad Samaritan thing seems so New Yorkish to me . . .
Wow, it’s never occurred to me that someone might swipe my camera…color me naive…but you’re right. The pics usually do turn out craptastic!
I knew this must happen to other bloggers lol. No I want a picture of myself only, I am self centered (lmao!)
Gorgeous dress! What strange people – mind your own business Bad Samaritans, the grocery store picture turned out faboo, thankyouverymuch!
You look wonderful! Love the entire outfit, especially the dress and necklace! I know this is bad, but the bad distance is one of the reasons I sometimes cringe when nice person offers to take pictures.
Remember that scene from European Vacation where the French photographer has the Griswalds stand in a fountain for a photo so he can steal their camera?!!
What did I do when I was in Paris? I wasted time trying to find that fountain…..And remember they went to Italy and dscovered that their personal footage had been made into a porn? Maybe you haven’t seen that movie but you probably have. Cautionary tale.
Remember that scene from European Vacation where the French photographer has the Griswalds stand in a fountain for a photo so he can steal their camera?!!
What did I do when I was in Paris? I wasted time trying to find that fountain…..And remember they went to Italy and dscovered that their personal footage had been made into a porn? Maybe you haven\’t seen that movie but you probably have. Cautionary tale.
Lovely as always. An Ossie Clark dress is on my wish list (the same one with “one of the rings from the top of Wendy’s blog” on it.)
that maxi dress looks fantastical on you.
You look gorgeous! Love the dress.