{ the jaunty magpie }

Let's just call it the Jauntiest $13 ever spent. I saw them sitting on a super-clearance rack at Express, aka the store of inexpensive trend pieces that you don't feel as guilty shopping at, versus the juniors department. The trend piece du jour were black sequined shorts -- too shiny for the Magpie not to grab it up. Granted, one pulled thread and it's Game Over, but this Bird couldn't help but love this bizarre purchase. Plus it was way more interesting than a sensible grey cardigan.

The sequined shorts made me think of one of my favorite movies, Strictly Ballroom, one of Baz Luhrman's early films from 1993. If you love shows like Dancing With the Stars, you would appreciate this movie. It's a sweet romantic comedy about a mismatched pair of ballroom dancers, but it's so quirky, frantic, and just plain bizarre at times, which is why I love it. I remember going through all the video stores in town, trying to rent a copy to show to my best friend in college -- totally put a smile on her face. Strictly Ballroom was described as a bit of an Aussie version of Dirty Dancing, but it's more fairytale-like and truly has a charm all its own.

I took Madame Sparklepants out for its maiden voyage for the Bellevue Arts Museum preview event for the Beth Levine exhibit. Sassy shoes and sparkly shorts? Like peas n' carrots. I have yet to master the art of taking a proper self-portrait, but who needs the timer-release when you have the talent of Ms. Kam of Needle + Thread around to take a snapshot? I was lucky to get a couple of photos taken, as seen on this post, and she was nice enough to post a pic of the Magpie on her blog -- you should check out the post for her great photo of Helene Verin, the co-curator of the Beth Levine exhibit.

Jaunty Fine Print: Photo of The Magpie by Kam Martin of Needle + Thread, Strictly Ballroom DVD cover from IMDB.com, jewelry and crazy sparklepants photos by Denise Sakaki