Long Casual Weekend Wrap Up (and Only a Little Shopping)

Wow, it feels like it's been ages! It's a long weekend up here in Canada: Victoria Day long weekend, where we celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday by um...celebrating. In my city (being named Victoria after the long-ago queen), we have a parade, a rodeo and the Highland Games. Not all related, and I don't go to any of them. I did when I was a kid, but now I prefer to chill and relax and avoid the crowds.

It's been a very quiet weekend, and quite casual, dressing-wise. Here's my Casual Friday outfit for the office.

Oh, yeah, I got my hair cut! It's nice and short again - all that dead, fried previously-blonde stuff trimmed off. Linking up to Patti's "Visible Monday" at Not Dead Yet Style!

This is my new Smoking Lily Tessroc dress, first seen here last weekend. Today, it's layered, with a cardigan over it and a floofy underskirt er...under it.

The cardigan is a nice teal colour - it was worn twice in the September 2012 capsule (recap here). The floofy underskirt was purchased in 2010 for about $29.99 when I bought a ton of Noa Noa samples from Dots (local clearance outlet).

I added my black leather obi over top of the cardigan to pull everything in.

And there are my lovely Fluevog Darjeeling Teapots again - last worn here with my "office punk" look. These are quickly becoming indispensable in my wardrobe - I love them!

The stuff:

I had another pair of shoes picked to go with this outfit but swapped out for these ones in the morning, recalling that I was going shopping with Mom after work for her birthday. Sometimes our shopping expeditions are marathons, so I needed to be prepared.

We had a good shop, although, wow, I am so spoiled by shopping second-hand! I had major sticker-shock with new clothes. I blew my budget on Mom with only 3 items - I could have bought bags and bags of stuff on consignment. Ah well, she really liked all the things we found, so I don't have any issues with it. Our local Danier Leather store was having a major clearance, and Mom found herself a gorgeous white leather jacket for only $149.00. I might have bought myself a little something too...more on my shopping shortly.

I wore some more of my new-to-me thrifted vintage finds.

My cheapy bracelets and rings, mixed with my high-end Wendy Brandes rings. The circle earrings were a present from my coworker Lise who also thrifts. I've given her clothes in the past (I bring bags of goodies in to my work to give away), so this was a sweet trade.

Cardigan (Kersh), Tessroc dress (Smoking Lily), underskirt (Noa Noa), shoes (Darjeeling Teapots, Fluevogs), obi (consignment), bracelets/turquoise ring (thrifted vintage), earrings (swap), hematite ring (Avon, thrifted vintage), lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia ring (Wendy Brandes).

On Saturday morning, we had a game of Ultimate, so I wore comfy loose layers over my sports underpinnings.

It was a little chilly and rainy intermittently, so I ended up with the jacket done up most of the day. It is my indispensable boyfriend blazer, briefly worn tossed over the aforementioned Smoking Lily dress above last weekend (here).

The tee is my emerald green one, last worn with a plethora of greens on St. Patrick's Day (here).

My fluffy skirt was easy for doing my quick-change at the field. It was also handy for changing in the aisles at one of the thrift stores I went to (they only have 1 change room). I last wore it here on a breezy weekend in April.

The shoes are my faithful Kenneth Cole Reaction sandals, worn a whopping 8 times in the all-neutral June 2012 capsule (recap here), and they are starting to show all the wear I give them. I'm on the lookout for something as cool and comfy to replace them, maybe for next year.

They were awesome for a light thrift shop after brunch, and I even walked home in them.

Jacket (Banana Republic, thrifted), top (The Limited, consignment), skirt (Lapis, consignment), shoes (Kenneth Cole Reaction, consignment).

On Saturday night, we strolled down to some friends' place to hang and play a game of "Arkham Horror" - we haven't played at their place before so I had to dress appropriately, both for theme and comfort.

There are a couple of things in this outfit that I haven't featured on the blog at all, or at least in a long while! These slip-on Vans shoes are my "hey, I'm going to the gas station for milk, be right back" shoes. I bought them in Vancouver in 2008: check it out: Sheila old-style! The only thing in that outfit I still have are these shoes and the chainmail necklace.

Some other previous wears you might find amusing:

• July 2008: To see Judas Priest in concert! Yeah, baby! 
• August 2008: To see Beck in concert. The only thing I still have of that outfit is the black cami!
• May 2009: Rock Concert Day at my old work. That Alice Cooper t-shirt is now workout wear.
• August 2009: Travel wear to go visit my in-laws and their hideous mint-green walls (I still have the striped long-sleeved tee).
• December 2009: A Casual Friday at my old work.
• September 2010: What I wore to the Saanichton Fair (after the boogie-ing down in my Desigual dress)
• June 2010: For L's birthday "day of indigence" lounging about. That t-shirt is also now a workout shirt.
• December 2010: Travel wear to Florida and back.

I am struck by how little I do "jeans casual" now - how my style has changed!

The t-shirt is one I ordered from Threadless a few years ago. I don't usually wear it out - it's a fun one to wear around the house or to the gym.

It's called "Zombie at Tiffany's". I'm wearing it layered over one of my many long-sleeved tees, with a couple of rocker leather cuffs on. I also have a swatch of rings (snake, spider, etc.) on, and my silver bird skull earrings.

The skirt is one of my favourite maxis. I last wore it here in February with purples.

Also, with the same socks. Somewhat creepy and ominous flocks of birds...

It was a fun night! It always cools off in the evening here, as the breeze comes in off the ocean, so I donned my lovely yellow leather jacket.

Cross-body bag loaded with jelly beans: check!

Jacket (Danier Leather), t-shirt (Threadless), long-sleeved tee (Jacob, thrifted), skirt (InWear, consignment), socks (Sock It To Me), shoes (Vans).

Here's all the goodies I got while shopping on Friday and Saturday. First up, I found a Canadian-made belt at Danier Leather on Friday with Mom.

Note that "someone" has already gotten his teeth into the end of the belt...

It was $19.99 - love the colour! They had tons of colours - it was so hard to choose!

On Saturday after brunch, I wandered through a couple of thrift stores. At the St. Vincent de Paul store, I found this lovely brooch.

Only $5.00! One of the inner stones is missing; otherwise this is in perfect condition. Not stamped, so probably just department store. Still, very pretty.

This top was a total score:

I love corset-y type tops, and spotted the good construction and quality of this from a mile away.

I adore Betsey Johnson! I would place this top as being mid-90s. Does that make it vintage?

It's a snug fit, but that's preferable in this style. I bet it will work over a long-sleeved top, like a vest.

Check out the score:

But no, it actually wasn't $5.00 - all orange tags were half-price. It was $2.50!! For Betsey Johnson!

And, even better - it was made in the US.

Gotta like that.

I also went to the Hospice Shop. They always have great quality things. I found this amazing purple lace dress by Jacob.

It's quite short, but I still like showing my legs once in a while, so why not? Ha!

The sleeves are see-through, not lined like the rest of the dress.

It was $9.50. Pretty good!

I debated over these, but I'm always on the lookout for good quality, comfortable shoes.

Aren't they crazy? I love the faux croc with the faux python, the little kitten heel, the Mary-Jane strap.

I've never heard of the brand - Ramon Tenza - but I looked them up and the new styles sell for over $300. I guess $24.00 is not too bad.

Leather, and made in Spain. Almost no wear on them too!

Pretty sparkly buckle.

And now, it's Monday, I'm off, and L and I are headed to the gym soon. Ah, long weekends...

Vizzini knows how to chill appropriately.

Stretchy in the sun!

Hope you all had a great weekend!