Monday, March 14, 2016

Seeing Spots - and Literary Styling

I'm still woozy from this afternoon's trip to the periodontist (happy pill, much freezing, nap), so forgive my brevity. 
Look, dots!


  • Jacket - Danier Couture; consignment; last seen here last week with baby blue and gold
  • Top - Club Monaco, thrifted; last worn here layered with lavender in January
  • Skirt - H&M, thrifted; purchased here yesterday for $8.99
  • Shoes - Marc; last worn here in February with red and tropical

I originally considered wearing this outfit with the red Gaga-esque jacket, but its shoulders easily overpowered everything else in the outfit, so at the last minute, I went subtle with the black leather jacket. I mean, I do have giant silver polka dots, dotted legs, red shoes and bigass earrings. That's still subtle, right?
I liked but did not love this skirt, principally due to the lining which is made of "I stick to you!" acetate. I'm a-thinkin' I'm going to cut that lining right out of this skirt and wear it with a shorter slip so that the sheerness of the overlay is more prominent. What do you think of that? I'm certainly not going to hem the lining! This would assume madd needlework skillz, and also that I am not lazy as heck.

The stuff:
Clomping red shoes for sitting in the dentist chair. Oh yeah!


  • Earrings - Le Chateau


I am a bit late for "Literary Stylings" over at Gracey's Fashion for Giants, but here we go, catching up!

The first two books of the five I finished since the last time I posted (here), are these. I also read another Lois McMaster Bujold, but had to return it to Stuart at work.
"The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. LeGuin - I was super-excited to read this. One of the all-time great science fiction writers? I'm in! Except, oh gosh, snore. This book was a slog. Very talky, not much plot and it wasn't until nearly the end of the book that I realized that it had been jumping around in time - Ursula, a little hint at the start of the chapters would have helped!

"Variable Star" is by Robert A. Heinlein and Spider Robinson. Heinlein is long-dead; Spider is alive and living in Vancouver. He was commissioned by the Heinlein Foundation to finish this last book, based on Robert's notes. I am pleased to say that he did a damned good job, ably excising the sexism that threads through many of Heinlein's novels. While the ending was a bit of a let-down, the entire story was a rollicking good ride. I also appreciated the "Trailer Park Boys" joke mid-way through it (a little in-joke for Spider's fellow Canucks). This was a bathroom book, so it took me longer to read.

Two more: Stephen King's "Revival" and "Frog Music" by Emma Donoghue.
I finished "Frog Music" first, not knowing who Emma Donoghue was, but by the time I was done, I was very familiar with her, as the writer of "Room" which was a movie up for several awards. This was a Book Club pick (thank you, Kathryn!), and we all enjoyed the strong female lead characters. It's set in the San Francisco gold-rush era, with a rich background of the folk music of the time. Not a book I would have chosen for myself.

"Revival" is me working through my unread Kings by my nightstand, and it was also a bathroom book. King is an easy read; easy to pick up and put down here and there without losing what's going on. I enjoyed this book, although - as always - his endings are weak and run out of steam (but not electricity, ha ha, book in-joke).

Oh, and mailbag question from Ms. Mica T of Away From the Blue (long-time blog friend, hello, Mica!):
What do you do with all the designer pieces you score when you get bored of them? Do you resell them or do you do like you do with your other clothes and pass them on not worrying about the price? 
Your suspicions are correct, Mica: I give them away just like I do with everything else I own. I point out name brands that my friends might not be familiar with, but it's almost the same for me as with cheaper brands. I do like to make sure that a piece goes to a good home where it will be really loved (looking at you with Kim's suit, Yvonne! Mwah!), versus just tossing it in a bag for picking over.

13 comments:

  1. I love this dotty look. Yes, best to excise that pesky lining and play around with slips. And the red shoes are madly perfect.
    And many lovely books!
    Yes, I have benefited from Sheila's largesse in the past with a care package of shoes/bboties, which I have worn over and over. Again, mwah, Sheila!

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  2. I just read "The Dispossessed" too! Introduced to LeGuin a few months ago when a friend gave me a copy of "Rocannon's World"/"Planet of Exile"/"Cities of Illusion" all in one volume. I enjoyed "The Dispossessed" -- it was less about the story, for me, than playing with some new ideas. I haven't read much grown-up utopian/dystopian literature (lots of YA dystopia), so digging into the philosophies of organization, anarchy, family structure, feminism, I liked it. My mister just read it too, and it was particularly interesting to unpack during an [USA] election year. This is only the third presidential election I'll have voted in, and my views are still forming. I do like LeGuin's voice in her stories -- a change from the very Old White Male voices that dominate the sci-fi cannon!

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  3. Love all of the polka dots, although it's a shame that the skirt isn't the best to wear. It's great you have a plan for it :)

    Thanks for answering my question too! I was so curious :) It's good to know your friends/family get to share in your good fortune!

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  4. Love the look of the skirt so, yes, hack the lining out of it. I do that often. There's no rule against self-alterations when they help something fit or feel better. Once we bring a garment home, it's OURS. :-)

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  5. Love the dots, and that's my favorite skirt shape. Sorry about the periodontist - never a good time. And thanks for the book rec's - I am ordering the Heinlein today. I'm in the middle of re-reading the Dark Tower series but I might make a detour for this one. xo

    -Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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  6. A lovely spotty outfit and I think the black jacket looks fab! I bet you brightened up the the dentist's day!

    What a shame about the skirt lining but lining sticking to you is not nice. I think your plan to cut it out and wear with another slip underneath is perfect. No sewing involved - yes! I can't sew either other than buttons and hems and I hate doing it - much rather be reading...

    Have a great week

    Veronica
    vronni60s.blogspot.com

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  7. I am absolutely dotty over this outfit! I think you made a good choice with the jacket, but it would be fun to wear with the giant shouldered red jacket if you were going out for the evening.

    Yes, get rid of the icky sticky lining on the skirt.

    I read "Frog Music" when it came out, and wasn't crazy about it. I really loved "Room", and had read a couple of Donoghue's other books as well. She does a good job with historical fiction but I just didn't like "Frog Music"'s main character. I just finished reading a sci-fi novel called "The Windup Girl" which I liked.

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  8. Brilliant! I'd have pulled something similar to this. Ditch the cranky lining and sort it whatever way you can. Love the red shoes as that extra pop of colour x
    Anna
    Anna's Island Style

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  9. Very cool outfit. Why not wear another black skirt underneath it? Like you say. I would do that too. Just be careful the see-through bit is not going to cling to your tights.
    Greetje

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  10. Katie, yes, I enjoyed the mental exercise of reading that LeGuin - it was certainly more "thinky" than I'm used to! I've passed it on to L to read - he is more into that thing.

    Shelley, thank you for the recommend on "The Windup Girl"!

    Greetje - I think another skirt under it would be too bulky, plus I have gazillions of slips and half-slips that I know won't cling.

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  11. Fabulous look. You nailed it, lady! Texture, pattern, shine, and all the things — especially flair, which you can't buy new or resale!

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  12. wow I just love this look! ♡

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