Friday, October 15, 2010

Casual Friday: Denim and Brocade

Back to my usual funkitude! The last two new-to-me items that I picked up on my shopping trip last weekend at the consignment shop are this top and skirt:
The top is a very bright red (what is up with my reds looking pink? Gah!). I am a sucker for Chinese brocades - I used to have a pair of blue brocade skinny pants once upon a time (I miss them). The shirt fastens by buttoning across the neck and body - and it's made in Canada, which I really like.

The top was sold as a two-piece set with a mini skirt in the same fabric, on sale for $19.50. However, the skirt was a Small and the top is a Medium. The skirt was teeny-weeny-itsy-squeaky-voice small - I couldn't even get it around my thigh. Seriously! But the top is a perfect fit - and go figure, this is a great example of how wacky sizing can be. I have bought XLs at Le Chateau and also XS - you have to just ignore the sizes and buy what fits.

Anyway, I would have bought the top on its own for $19.50, so I didn't mind getting the skirt - I figured I could consign it. My gal wasn't at the consignment shop that day, though (I usually visit her on Sundays), so I took it home...and when the lovely and very petite Kim was over for our party last weekend, I was showing her my recent acquisitions and - light bulb! - oh my gosh, take this skirt off my hands, honey! She was so excited.

I have been in love with long swooshy skirts for many years - I love seeing them come back into style:
Showing my boots off. I kept the shoes simple.

With a long skirt, I always look for an a-line shape like this one, for example - if you wear those long straight skirts that were big in the late 90s, your bottom half risks looking like a big rectangle. A-lines have nice movement when you walk.

This skirt was only $8.50 on the clearance rack! Score! InWear is a pretty expensive brand. I love that it's denim (it makes a nice sail-like sound when I walk) with a bit of stretch - it fits really good in the bum, hee hee.

A close-up of the top:
My "I am not amused" look - 7:30 in the morning is early!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Top (Le Chateau, consignment), skirt (InWear, consignment), boots (Miz Mooz), earrings (Plum), cuff (don't remember).

16 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous blouse! And you MUST know how I love black skirts - LONG black skirts! I wouldn't have guessed yours is denim! I ♥ it.

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  2. Sheila, I am in love with your Chinese top! As my youngest is from China, my eyes always go to oriental looks and this looks phenomenal on you. BTW, when I was in China I picked out the exact material, they measured me exactly and it was ready THE NEXT DAY! Take the trip, you would love it...lol!

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  3. That is weird your reds read pink on this. Love the top, and I'm glad someone else got the use of the skirt!

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  4. Ohwow! Your casual friday look blows mine out of the water. I lovelovelove the long denim skirt. (although at first I thought it was mega wide trousers)

    The top is lovely. How cool that you were able to pass on the matching skirt to a friend.

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  5. The top,
    the brocade top, the brocade chinese top, I can{t get over it.... gorgeous.

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  6. There's real entertainment-value in the tales of your shopping-adventures. You go out into the wild, bag a big one (like this top), and then carry it home and show it off to us. That story never grows old.

    Plus, to continue the analogy, the incredibly-low prices you pay are like the fierceness of animals you manage to subdue. Anyone can spend $250 and look good; spending a tenth of that and achieving a great result makes you a master-hunter!

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  7. Fabulous skirt, fabulous boots. I particulary love the shape of the skirt. I've personally given up on paying any credence to sizing - there is no consistency anywhere in the world!

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  8. Wait! Why don't we get to see the bum fit?

    Also, I am inspired. Your long denim skirt is looking totally BA, especially with that awesome blouse. I've got a long denim skirt packed away somewhere. And now I can get it out, again!

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  9. The color of that jacquard top goes wonderfully with your red hair. Great combination!

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  10. Honestly, my job dropped when the page loaded. I love the red, the black, and the boots--and those prices--I'd be over there trying to get my hands on that set too. :)

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  11. Thanks, Rebecca! I know you love long skirts - me too!

    Lesa, thanks! I love these brocades so much. Ooh, that sounds very tempting!

    'Doll, I know, must be my camera. Thanks!

    Megan, thanks, hon! Hey, you know I love the wide legs too. I know, I'm so glad the skirt went to a good home.

    Psyche, thanks!

    Thanks, Lorena!

    Shybiker, ha, thank you! I'm like a hunter, returning with my bagged prey. I do like my bargains.

    Thanks, Baxter! I love this shape as well. Sizing is just crazy, isn't it?

    A-Dubs, because I didn't have time to take a pic of my bum. Hee. Thanks so much! Get on the long skirt bandwagon!

    Thanks, Jodi!

    Thanks, Ann! I do love a score!

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  12. Wow I love that first outfit. The colors are inspiring!

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  13. is that a cheongsam top? NICE! i ve always wanted to wear cheongsam, but until now haven't found the right size yet.

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  14. Nilcha, it is! Although not an authentic Chinese one. Those are impossible for me to fit into.

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