Sunday, August 13, 2017

Weekend Wrap-Up: Lark Dress, Shopping, and BBQ Stripes

It's been a lovely weekend! The smoke haze has lifted and we can see real sky again, although it's been windy. Still, the air is clear! We can breathe again.
 We didn't have enough players for Ultimate Frisbee this weekend, so L and I strolled to town on Saturday and had brunch at Floyd's Diner. From there, we parted ways - I got groceries (for delivery) and went on a wee thrift expedition.

This is my entry for Patti's "Visible Monday" over at Not Dead Yet Style. What are you waiting for? Go!


  • Dress - Rachel Roy, thrifted; first worn here in June with turquoise
  • Shoes - Half Truth Veda, Fluevog; last seen here (2nd outfit) in June with a vintage maxi skirt


 I wore a short half-slip under this lovely dress, and was glad I did! The wind was determined to pouf the dress up and expose my nether-regions. I had my hands in my pockets while outside to help hold the skirt down.

The pattern of the dress is little horned larks (birds) - the ties at the wrist got in the way while I was shopping, but otherwise this was perfect for trying stuff on.
 I did some errands, including finally mailing a package to a blog-friend (only 4 months late, Anna!), buying myself an NFL football magazine (I'm in the pool this year, first time in a few years), and getting some hair accessories. I bought various clips and clawlike things to deal with my growing tresses. I was boggled by the amount of hair "tools" and gewgaws that are available. Hair is such a...thing!

The stuff:
 After shopping and running errands for about 4 hours, I walked home - these lovely, simple kitten heels are one of my most trusted pairs of walking shoes. I've worn them on vacation several times, as they always look classy (and are easy to slip off at airports).

Turquoise bling:
 Customers in the WIN Warehouse store responded very strongly to my outfit, hair and jewelry. It was quiet for a Saturday, oddly, and all of my fellow customers were stylish, funky ladies.


  • Ring - local
  • Earrings - furniture resale store


I wasn't shopping for anything in particular, but I did well with tops this time around. I also always seem to do well with sweaters at this time of the year (into the fall pile you go!).

I am ever on the lookout for nice quality camisoles and layering tanks for sheer tops.
 This is a lovely soft cotton tank in a marled blue.
 By the Gap and only $5.95.

I amuse myself by seeing what year it is.
 Spring 2004! Wow, this tank is 13 years old. It's in really good condition, so I'm guessing its previous owner didn't wear it much. You can see a fold line down the front of it in the first picture.

I loved both the colour (olive green) and the style of this sheer blouse.
 Since I lost my last fluffy sheer blouse when I pulled the cuffs off by accident (here), I've been keeping my eye out for a replacement. I love the tux front detailing, and the shredded edges of the cuffs and the ruffles.

Gah, blurry, sorry. This blouse is by Free People, and was $6.95.
 That's a bargain - their blouses/tops start at $48 and go to $190! The buttons are metal too - a nice detail. It is 100% polyester and was made in India.

Remember shrugs? Basically, they are cardigans that are connected sleeves, very short in the body.
 This seems like a handy colour in my wardrobe (I wear a lot of turquoise), and it's also really nice quality.
 It's by Marciano, and is 85% silk and 15% cashmere, and was $13.95. It was probably over $80 new.

I leave labels in my clothes whenever possible, but I have been known to remove them (especially itchy labels). I would like to send out a "thank you" to whoever removed all the tags on this bright pink sweater.
 Why? Because I can tell by feeling it that it's 100% cashmere, and a really nice, thick cashmere to boot!
 But without a label, the thrift store marks it as a "Regular" sweater. I paid $5.95 for a cashmere sweater! Yay! Won't this be nice with my Kate Spade skirt?

I go through a "wine cardigan" or sweater about once a year, which I wear around the house (i.e. not in public). These are also known as "homeless lady" sweaters by L, who generally doesn't like them at all.
 However, this wonderful "lumber sock*" sweater might be nice enough to wear with skinny jeans or a black leather maxi skirt in the chilly months. It it long (past the bum) and very snuggly with that nice wide turtleneck.

*For those of you who are not Canadian, these are lumber socks (linking to Home Hardware, ha ha! because I love). I grew up with these socks - they're what lumberjacks wear!

The sweater is by Roots, another Canadian institution, from their "Cabin Collection," and it's a mix of polyester and wool - and it's new with tags!
 Only $24.95?? Wow, this was probably close to $100 new. I bet it was an unworn Christmas present (the price has been removed from the sales tag) that got donated to WIN.

This cardigan was mixed in with the vintage stuff...but it's not vintage, it's new.
 It does have a bit of that "grampa cardi" look to it, and the Edinburgh Tartan Shop (a local gift shop) has been around for decades, selling Scottish-themed things and cashmere and wool sweaters to tourists.

However, the cardigan (which is 100% cashmere) is made in China, not Scotland, like a real vintage cardi would be, and the label is very new-looking. It also doesn't have any wear on it (eg. balling under the arms, fuzziness on the edges).
Totally a modern piece. As you can see on the tag, it "just needs a wash" - someone spilled something down the front of it. I hit it with a squirt of Folex, and it's as good as new, a $100+ cardigan for $19.95. You can't go wrong with that!

I love that WIN's dresses are now hung higher and are all on one wall, instead of being in different spots for Regular, Boutique and Vintage. It's so much easier to go through them all. I found...not a dress!
 Yes, I have joined the rest of the blogging world and have bought a jumpsuit. Those who've been reading for a few years may actually recall that this is NOT my first jumpsuit on the blog - I first wore one here (2nd outfit) in August 2011 (there's my lettuce dress too!). I only wore that jumpsuit once, as it had an elastic waist and rode up on me.

Oh, I've also posted a very old picture of me in a jumpsuit (here, from this post here about my style growing up) from around 1988.

This jumpsuit is a nice warm olive green (again with the olive green!), and is by Gina Tricot. It has a deep slip down the back, with a single button closure at the back of the neck.
 I know that I can fit a size 40 in Euro sizing - this is how you figure it out if you don't have a phone for looking things up: subtract 30 from the Euro size 40 to get 10, which would be the size if we'd never had the Great Size Shift of the late 80s, also known as a modern size 6. Math! It's applicable in fashion!

This jumpsuit was also new with tags! Never worn, and only $28.95. That Euro cost of $49.95 is roughly $75.00 in Canadian dollars.
You can see the side zipper in that picture, which has a lovely wide piece of fabric backing it. And although the jumpsuit comes with a tie belt, it's a loose waist otherwise, so one zip, one button and I can go to the bathroom. Yes, we have to make sure we can do that in a jumpsuit!

Tonight, L and I are going to my brother Dave's house for a family BBQ. My cousin Darrell is in town and I haven't seen him in over 30 years!
 I may have changed a bit in 3 decades, bwah ha!

  • Top - Zara Trafaluc, consignment; first worn here in May with skinny red pants
  • Culottes - Jones New York, vintage early 80s, thrifted; last seen here in July in a formal outfit
  • Shoes - Effortless Vivian, Fluevog; last worn here in July with a renegade scuba skirt
  • Coat (below) - Lord & Taylor, thrifted; last seen here in July with leather and brocade


I bet he won't recognize me - I looked like this in 1986:
I have always liked that picture. Oh, 1980s and your "exploded bomb" hair! At least I don't have "claw" bangs/fringe!

I want to look funky tonight but not completely whackadoo - most of my immediate family (Mom, nieces) will be there as well as Dave and Shelley.
Sorry, Mom, ink's out! 

Looking at these pictures, I'm done with this top. It's not a great cut on me and doesn't sit right.
I have a black cami layered under it for armhole and back slit coverage. 

The "proof I'm wearing culottes" shot. 
"What do you think? Toss the top?"
 It's quite windy out and I expect it will be chilly in the evening.
 That's a suitably whacky topper, and it will keep me warm.

The stuff:
 Easy shoes in case I have to walk anywhere (like home from town, if buses don't connect).

Nautical bling:
Appropriately matchy.

  • Leather cuff - Rimanchik
  • Shield ring - Nine West
  • Death Star ring - Soul Flower
  • Earrings - Plum


I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! 

16 comments:

  1. Major score, Sheila, on that cashmere sweater. And I am loving the wide leg pants. You are so right about hair, there are entire warehouse sized stores devoted to it! Yours is looking cool. xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Patti! It's quite the industry for hair out there! I hadn't realized how much bigger it's gotten since I've had short hair for so long.

      Delete
  2. I luv the shrug and lumber sock sweater!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Another fun post. Hope you had a good night with your family. You really don't look that different from thirty years ago!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a great time, thanks, Ally. Ha, I think I look very different.

      Delete
  4. I'm not shopping for a year and I am ENVIOUS xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, sorry! I hope it's not too stressful seeing my shopping trip hauls.

      Delete
  5. I love that top! I think it look fabulous on you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lisa, but it's just not quite right when I'm wearing it. I'm happy to let it go to a better home.

      Delete
  6. Hi Sheila, you are looking superb in that outfit even if the top is does not feel good. I know exactly what you mean, looks fab in pics but in real life you're tugging at it and feeling off. Hope you had a great time meeting your cousin again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you are too kind, thank you, hon. I think I have so many other things that look much better on me, that I love more than this top - I'm happy to toss it into the donate bag. Thanks!

      Delete
  7. Oh yeah, that top will look great with your Kate Spade skirt. Right on. And I like that you like when there are no labels. I should embrace that notion too. I always check to see if the price is valid based the quality and the label. The quality should be enough. Keep the top, keep the top, hahaha. But no, that's just me loving the top - send it away, you don't feel your best in it. I know that culotte pose well. Heh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, I'm excited to pair those pieces. The labels are a good short-cut for quality (like, I always know that J. Crew is going to be nice, or Club Monaco), but the price sure goes down when there's no label. And you - like me - know quality when you see/touch it!

      Yeah, the top is really cool (that's why I bought it!), but it is just not me.

      Delete
  8. Looks like you had another excellent thrift haul! I can usually tell when a piece is good quality without the label, but it does add an extra thrill when you score a designer piece for a few bucks. I LOVE those wide leg pants. The top is cute, but you have lots of other tops that are more "You".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here - my skill at touching fabrics and telling good stuff from cheap stuff has gotten better and better over the years. Finding a designer label is always a thrill! I love my culottes - I think these are the pants that really got me back into trousers in a big way. Agreed, but I got my money's worth out of the top!

      Delete

Comments are so incredibly special, and I love them and hug them and treasure them forever. Please feel free to tell me what you think!

I'm not currently able to respond to comments, but I will make every effort to answer questions. I do read every single one, and appreciate your comments.

Please note that comments containing affiliate links spam-y sites, spam comments and anything I deem inappropriate will be deleted.

Cheers,
Sheila