Thursday, November 8, 2012

Nov 8th - Outfit #8 - Shades of Light and Leather

This month's capsule has the most leather in it of any capsule this year: five pieces! Today's outfit features one of my very favourite items, my suede dress.
Yes, that's a dress! It's a very pale dove grey, fully lined and it's by Danier Leather. I bought it on consignment for $60.00 in November 2009. Back then, I thought it was verging on scandalous to wear leather to work (how things have changed, ha!). There's a good shot of the top half of the dress at that link, where you can see the amazing seaming pattern at the waist.

I also wore it in December 2009, to a party where you weren't allowed to wear shoes (what is up with that?), so I did hot pink tights. This dress doesn't work that great on its own - the colour is too pale - it needs layering under or over to really bring it to life. I next wore it in August 2010, and learned my lesson, layering a sheer blouse under it and wearing this same obi over it. Pretty! I matched it with the same shoes as today in May 2011 for Revenge of Dress Week!, doing a shirt under it again. The last time I wore it, in September 2011, I did a very similar look, showing off some fabulous Fluevogs and a Smoking Lily leather belt.

I'm down to $10 per wear - pretty good! And this is the first time I've worn a jacket layered over it, and a cami underneath it (not part of the capsule), with the obi over that. The jacket is new-to-me, purchased back in September (man, that was a good shopping trip!) for $20.98. It's by Le Chateau, and I am certain that whoever owned it before me had the cuffs shortened to this nice bracelet length. There's a band of material inside the cuff, stitched to the original lining with little hand stitches.
I really liked the whole pale vibe of the outfit - this felt very "me," even without my usual colour-rama.

The shoes are the last "fresh" pair in this month's capsule. I've had them since January 2010, purchased new for $80, on sale from $200.
I've worn them a fair bit: previously later that January, in May 2010 (with a great rust-colour, although the cut of the dress wasn't right for me), in August 2010 (ack, on the day we were all given notice at my old job), in October 2010 (for a phone interview for a job I didn't get), for the aforementioned Revenge of Dress Week!, in September 2011 (last outfit, with my awesome blouse from last month and skirt from February's capsule), and lastly, in December 2011 for Neutrals Week (grey day).

Are you doing Colours Challenge this year? Megan and Keely do such fun challenges! I am out this time around, as the capsules make those challenges really difficult. But the next one, for sure!

As I read myself gushing about how comfortable these shoes are, I realize that my standards for comfort have changed. These shoes are a big too tight and they rub the backs of my heels. I'm going to keep my eye out for another pair of grey heels, though, as they are a useful wardrobe item.

The stuff:
The "eyes" on the flower pin are earrings
My Grandma J's vintage necklace by Lisner, and my dad's ring that I got when he died.

I highly recommend a Smoking Lily obi. I have 3 of them now! This one was loaned to my dear friend Cat recently and went on a cruise with her. It's a great item to have in a small travel wardrobe!
I love the fun designs screened on it: a cartoon monkey, gold trees and topographical contour lines.

Jacket (Le Chateau, consignment), dress (Danier Leather, consignment), cami (gift from Ruth), shoes (Camper), obi (Smoking Lily, consignment), necklace (vintage 50s, Lisner, Grandma J), earrings (vintage), ring (Dad's, 60s), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), flower pin (Roberta's Hats).

15 comments:

  1. It's always neat when we feel like "us" wearing something that we wouldn't usually think of us as "us" (for you - the less colour-rama!). It also shows how much we change. I wore my favourite outfit the other day, and it just didn't feel me any more. Sigh, guess it's time for more shopping (in my closet... Christmas is expensive enough!)

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  2. Love this! This is a pale outfit but the colourful accents you've added really make it stand out. I especially like the lapel flower and obi belt and shoes. You've made that dress so flexible in how you've been styling it. It's funny how you used to think leather for the office was scandalous. LOL. How we change...

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  3. Oooh that beautiful dress! The color is amazing, and looks great with that brocade style jacket. I like taking pieces that feel like "me" and mixing them up into a look that doesn't necessarily follow my usual patterns. I think that's one of the things you've been challenging yourself with in the capsules.

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  4. Wow, can't believe that's a dress! Was expecting a skirt. Fabulous find.

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  5. You look gorgeous as usual. I love checking your blog to see what you are wearing. So pretty.

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  6. Your outfit is stunning. I'm in love with the whole thing but my special favorites are the shoes. I can't wear heels but if I could those would be the first I'd look for.

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  7. I love seeing all the ways you style the divine suede dress. Today's look is soothing, with all the pale colors - then a little bam! of color with your fab obi. Great mix.

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  8. The dress is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! The color and style lend itself to adding pops of color!
    I love how you've styled it with the beautiful textured jacket and the bits of the merlot color!

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  9. I was wondering if you were going to manage to do the challenge when I saw you picked neutrals as your theme for November. I'll miss seeing your creations, but I totally get it! It is a challenge to combine both!

    I love this dress, it is lovely!

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  10. Excellent dress - I love it this way (and with the wide belt + Fluevogs!), and I'm sorry to hear about the Camper pumps, which are gorgeous (amazing with last month's blouse!). Scrumptious mix of textures.

    I am doing Megan and Keely's Challenge! Just the thing for bumping my frequency back up a bit - looking forward to firing off a bunch of posts in a row.

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  11. I love everything about this outfit, the textures, the neutrals, the bright touch of red, and OMG, Grandma's awesome leafy necklace!

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  12. My first response was how YOU this outfit was, even while quite pale- it seems you felt the same thing- I love it- and those Campers! Funny- I have to reaccess my whole wardrobe as of late especially my shoes- comfort is key here- part old age and part the hill I now live on- so I have to say goodbye to loads of cute but cutting shoes. Sad. Maybe not. I'm calling it 'editing my wardrobe' and being upbeat about it.

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  13. The obi and cami are beautiful for a touch of colour! I really like the pattern on your jacket and it looks wonderful layered over your dress :)

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  14. Sheila, this outfit is divinely exceptional, I do not know how you outdo yourself. Now about shoes, I love shoes, but alas all shoes, especially pumps, don't love me anymore. I'm thinking as you age feet are about the first things to go. Your gray shoes are beautiful and I'm sorry you might have to rethink them. I love seeing all your cool shoes. I'm just glad that I can still wear up to 3 inch heels.

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  15. Lovely mix of neutrals today, this works so well. I posted about a dress with a shirt today and it's been really good to follow the links and see the different ways you wore it.i'm sad the Campers aren'tso comfy, as I love that brand, but I only really wear their flat shoes.

    Will be doing the colour challenge! Bring it on :-)

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