Business with a Twist – Break the Rules!

Sorry. Ladies – today it’s English only.

First I am a firm believer that before you go and break some rules, you’d better know them in the first place. The last council session was long and felt long. But no more about that today. I can’t believe its already a month ago that I went to Paris for the day and that I actually bought a dress from the Beth Ditto collection. Not the one I thought I’d get but the black one.
misskittenheel vintage curvy plussize  beth ditto collection lola black dress council 03

My shoes are watching you! I love these shoes.
misskittenheel-vintage-curvy-plussize-germancurves-miamoda-TUK-Kitty-Heels-10

The rouching in the back is still quite noticable, even on the black one.
misskittenheel vintage curvy plussize  beth ditto collection lola black dress council 04

I was afraid the lipstick print wouldn’t get enough mileage and I actually needed another LBD (Little Black Dress). It is fun though and sooo me. My heart is still a little sad, that I didn’t buy it.
misskittenheel vintage curvy plussize  beth ditto collection lola lipstick 01

So far I have worn it twice to offical gatherings: the mayor’s may reception for the unions and various social organizations and the following week for the council meeting. My shoes (the dotty cat ones) got more attention than the dress. Though that doesn’t mean people didn’t talk about it, they just didn’t say anything to me. Probably not a good thing. But I feel great when I wear it. I love the pockets.
misskittenheel vintage curvy plussize  beth ditto collection lola black council 01

Combined with my trusty tweed jacket from Boden and a big scarf – I look like it is considered proper for a fat woman. A safe look. Even with the crazy cat heels. Until I take off the jacket. Dittos dress is rather unapologetic.
misskittenheel vintage curvy plussize  beth ditto collection lola black council 02

For another event I went with politics a few weeks ago, I wore another somewhat unusal dress: Anna Scholz Kimono or Sakura dress by Sheego. A wardrobe staple of mine that I have worn to an opening at the local art museum and at this winters‘ Fashion Week in Berlin. It was a lovely spring day. The dress an excellent choice. Even more so as such events are still dominated by men. Men in dark suits. I got quite a few compliments from other ladies there.
misskittenheel vintage curvy plussize  anna scholz sheego sakura kimono dress 02

I think it is fun to break the rules. But to have fun doing so you should know where you clash and why. You should also consider your own position – what do you want. In a job interview or for an important presentation it is not very wise to completely alienate your audience. Little dabs are more appropriate in such a setting. On other occasions you can risk a bit more – and once people have accepted that, it not only becomes easier, at some point they might even expect it from you.

black dress: Lola noir by Beth Ditto
Skaura/ Kimono dress: Kimono Dress by Anna Scholz for Sheego (sold out)
jacket: Tweed Blazer by Boden Clothing (sold out)

Plus40Fabulous: Things I am proud of

This article is in English – there is a short synopsis in German at the end.
Es gibt am Ende einen kurze deutsche Zusammenfassung, der Artikel selber ist auf Englisch.

Apart from a few things and groups I am affiliated with is the Plus40Fabulous group. There is a monthly theme and though I am late I am not too late for my contribution.

So what am I proud of?

There is the obvious thing on this blog – I am proud to be Miss Kittenheel. It is fun and I hope to inspire others to live the way they want it. Give a fig on what the others say. If you want retro – wear it, no matter what your size is. Yes, ridicule can sting but the feeling like you are outside, pressing your nose to the glass while there is a ball going on inside hurts too. It can cripple your soul. Do what makes you happy, what feels right for you! It took me quite a while to cmome to terms that over the years I became first a fat teenage girl and then as a woman the fat remained. Give or take a few diets which made everything worse in the long run.

not exactly happy about my weight but at ease with my body – that took ages!
Miss Kittenheel vintage plus size style autumn rose

I am a landscape architect. I have worked in two countries in my profession. It fills me with silly pride that I can touch the things I imagined. On my mothers side I am the first female with academic training and on my fathers side the first female with a degree in engineering, because that is the title I achieved. My job is diverse and chellenging. Of course there are downsides and I am not excited every day about it – but I wouldn’t be real otherwise.

first completed project – a courtyard in Manchester/UK with Ulli B.
Planit-IE_TheQuadrangle_Stepahnie_Kotalla

A housegarden in the UK
Planit-IE_ThePines_Stepahnie_Kotalla

Fountain at Burgplatz, Essen/Germany
wbp_Burgplatz_Essen_Stepahnie_Kotalla

I was raised to be proud to be a European first, before that nationalistic bollocks. These days I am not so proud of my Europe – but I am a stubborn creature and that is not something I let go off easily. So, the third (big) thing I am proud o is being a part time politican with a mandate on my local council. Getting there was a few years hard work and I nearly missed out (as it is politics after all). You can’t have politics without meddling and scheming. You got to have the stomach for that. And persistence. And to boldly go where you know you are not welcome. Where they don’t reserve a seat for you (and saw off the legs under the chair you are sitting on). I met a lot of people who struggled with that. You have to make a lot of compromises. But at some point you also got to draw a line or you loose being yourself.

All in grey (apart from the still pinkish hair) – outfit for the council session in March 2016
MissKittenheel vintage plussize business rathaus politics grey 01

Currently, for almost a year I am an independent member in my local council. I have left the party I got elected for. I am not proud of that. Had I the chance to turn back time I would do the very same thing again though. Sometimes life isn’t pretty. I started Miss Kittenheel for that. To have something where I am my own boss and just to my bidding. A happy place.

Snapshot at a local CSD in 2014 where I campainged for alterntive lifestyles (and didn’t tell people in my party I was in a relationship with a guy from another party – what a joke! They would have had fewer issues if I was queer than involved wirh someone from another liberal party)
MissKittenheel CSD Ruhr 2014

I started my life in politics with a back then new party who sadly started to desintegreate. A lot of what was important for me was lost out of sight. I try to carry some of that with me to my new political home. Civil rights, freedom and social issues are still very important. I started in a party that claimed to be post gender but the last year and recent developments made me realise we still need feminism, maybe more than five years ago.

many shades of grey –  outfit for the council session in March 20
MissKittenheel vintage plussize business rathaus politics grey 02

Vintage persian lamb and my „circus“ brooch – the dancing seal – which I think is quite fitting for politics. Sometimes you got to smile when you just want to puke.
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I won’t burn my bra though but I do burn for equal chances. For a world (and my country) that give my god children the chances I got. For a society where people marry for love and not for provision. For a world where no means no. For a society where you can be whatever you want to be, without fear or persecution (as long as you don’t want to cut back the rights of others because they effing offend you).

Outfit for the council session in March 2016 – a day of theatrics from all sides. Unfortunately a day that does not endear us, the entitiy of „politicans“, to the voters. MissKittenheel vintage plussize business rathaus politics grey 03
dress: shift dress by Linea, House of Fraser
persiam lamb collar and seal brooch: vintage
shoes: Deichmann, ca. 2014
shirt: H+M. ca. 2012/ 2013
tights: H+M or C&A

Ich bin stolz auch meine drei Leben – ich arbeite als Landschaftsarchitektin und es ist schön die Dinge, die man sich ausgedacht hat anfassen zu können. Ich bin stolz auf Miss Kittenheel – denn ich hoffe so kann ich mehr Menschen erreichen, dass sie so leben, wie es sich für sie richtig anfühlt. Das mit dem Vorbild. Ein schöner, glücklicher Ort. Und ich bin stolz darauf in der (Lokal-) Politik mitzumachen. Gut, dass ist nicht immer so und manchmal fällt man auch unschöne Entscheidungen (immerhin bin ich seit knapp einem Jahr parteilos), aber manches ist notwendig. Für sich selber. In der Politik haben nicht immer alle darauf gewartet das man mitmachen will. Aber das trifft auch für das ganze übrige Leben zu. Und ja, ich bin Feministin – ich meine nicht das wir bessere Menschen als Männer sind. Allerdings ist das mit der Chancengleichheit immer noch unheimlich wichtig. Und das wir das bewahren und hüten ist vielleicht heute wieder wichtiger als noch vor zwei oder drei Jahren. 

Almost blonde again! Fast wieder blond! MissKittenheel vintage plussize business rathaus politics grey 04
Check out the other lovely bloggers writing about what makes them proud:

Cathy: http://www.southernyacht.blogspot.co.uk/
Christy: http://www.sprintingwithscissors.blogspot.co.uk/
Daisy: http://daisysays.co.uk
Kate: https://wearingmywardrobein2016.wordpress.com
Kath: https://fatheffalump.wordpress.com
Kellie: http://www.bigfashionista.co.uk/
Leah: http://www.justmeleah.co.uk
Lee: http://www.pinkybellesshed.co.uk/
Lisa: http://www.kitandkoboodle75.blogspot.co.uk/
Mookie: http://www.mookieslife.com/
Nikki :http://www.nattynikki.com/
Perelandra: http://www.pamperandcurves.com/
Sarah: http://www.plussizeproud.co.uk
Vicky: http://www.therandomnessoftwee.blogspot.co.uk
Yvonne: http://woosangwashere.blogspot.com

Mein Januar and „Workwear“

So this was my January in outfits. Any favourites?
Das war meine Outfits im Januar. Welches gefällt Euch am besten?

Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style January 2016 outfits

Well, there is another January outfit – a „workwear“ one – the workwear is in quotes.  It is something I might wear to a meeting as a landscape architect – though there without the glittering heels. This outfit was for my second life – the one as a local politician with a mandate in council. I wore it to my last session. The heels add a little glamour.

Though council meetings are not without drama – especially when talking about lots of money, which is the case when the annual city budget is first debated and then voted upon. Though something actually sparkling adds a little fun.

The entire process however is a bit like the German New Year’s Eve favourite „Dinner for One“ – the same procedure as every year. The coalition approved the budget that again feels not quite sufficent.  Once more no budget-freeze from regional administration as we meet our set targets. „Surprisingly“ amendments will be once more have to be made over the year. Unlike that very popular TV classic, there is no tiger rug involved. No actual tripping and stumbling. Next January the next budget requires approval.

This is outfit number one for this month’s theme of Modejahr2016 – a themed Fashion year:  business looks. Look number two will be casual work wear.

Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style cape

Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style cape

Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style cape

Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style cape

cape + fake mongoloian fur bag: New Look
blazer: Boden
dress: Marks and Spencer, ca. 2010
heels: Deichmann
headband: vintage

The cape will soon show up here again – I just hope it’ll turn out as pretty as I wish.
Das Cape werde ich hoffentlich bald wieder zeigen – ich hoffe es wird so schön, wie ich mir das wünsche.
Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style cape

Nun denn – dies ist noch ein Januar Look – ein „Arbeitsoutfit“. Nur in Gänsefüßchen? Das ist etwas das ich zwar auch so in meinem Job als Landschaftsarchitektin tragen würde – abgesehen von den Absatzschuhen. Hier ist es für mein zweites Leben – das als Kommunalpolitikerin mit einem Sitz im Stadtrat. Mein Outfit für die letzte Ratssitzung. Die Plateau-Heels machen es etwas weniger bieder und sorgen für etwas Glamour.

Auch wenn Ratssitzungen nicht ganz ohne eigene Dramatik sind, besonders wenn es um viel Geld geht, wie bei den jährlichen Reden zum Haushalt und dessen spätere  Verabschiedung. Etwas das tatsächlich glitzert bringt etwas Freude in ein Meer aus Vorhersehbarkeiten.

Ein wenig erinnert das Ganze an den beliebten TV-Klassiker „Dinner for One“the same procedure as every year. Die Koalition stimmte erneut für einen Haushalt, der gefühlt zu knapp bemessen ist.  Einmal mehr keine Haushaltssperre durch die Bezirksregierung. Völlig „überraschend“ werden dann im Laufe des Jahres Nachbesserungen anstehen. Im Gegensatz zum 90ten Geburtstag, dem deutschen Titel von „Dinner for One“ gibt es kein Tigerfell, kein reales Stolpern oder Straucheln. Nächsten Januar muss der nächste Haushalt beschlossen werden.

Dieses Outfit ist das erste von zwei Business Looks des Modejahrs2016. Das zweite Outfit wird ein weniger formal sein.Miss Kittenheel vintage plussize style cape