Sunday, January 13, 2019

Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Double Gaultier and Peacocks; Silver at the Ruby; Shopping in Bark

After a not-very-restful Thursday evening, I went to work on my Friday off. Not to work (although I had a few things to deal with that put my mind more at ease), but to meet up with one of my coworkers from another city. 
 I am the office manager/receptionist of Victoria's branch of my company - and Ann, who does the same job as me in our Edmonton office, came to town with her husband for a company event. Did we meet up? Of course we did!

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

  • Men's shirt - Jean's by Jean Paul Gaultier, thrifted; purchased here for $7.99
  • Trousers - Jean's by Jean Paul Gaultier, vintage shop, Vancouver; last seen here (2nd outfit) in August 2018 with Gookey
  • Shoes - Down to Earth Hadfield, Fluevog; last worn here (2nd outfit) in October 2018 to get our vote on
  • Coat (below) - Danier Leather; last seen here last week


This men's shirt was too small for L, but fit me perfectly, and it was inevitable that I would wear it with pants by the same designer.
Ann and I did some walking around the harbour, and sat and talked shop for the afternoon. We totally hit it off.

I knew I didn't want to be too casual or too dressy. It was a gorgeous day, very warm for January!
 Still a chill in the air at times, though. Leather weather!


  • Scarf - Ralph Lauren, consignment
  • Gloves - Parkhurst


I mostly looked like this.
 I'm chatting with L there, who was also getting ready to go out for lunch with a coworker. Funny, we went out with different people when we both had the day off! Ann and I went to Pagliacci's for lunch - yum!

The stuff:
 Good walking shoes!


  • Gold hoops - 5th anniversary gift from L


Being from Edmonton, Ann really wanted to go to the waterfront, and to see the world's tallest free-standing totem pole. Sure! We walked through Beacon Hill Park, where I took her picture.
 It's always so interesting to meet someone who does exactly the same job as you - it's not like we Receptionists get to travel to other offices at all, at least, not for work! Ann and I have had work contact for nearly 8 years.

It must be peacock mating season. The park was FULL of peacocks, strutting and preening.
"Dude, have you seen any ladies?" 
 No showy tailfeathers spread out, though.

They seemed to know that their pictures were being taken.
"No ladies, bro. Who are all these people taking our pictures?"

Look at this magnificent fellow!
"Don't give away my location, Dude."

No wonder they call that "peacock blue"!

We spotted the peahens.
"Shhh! Keep it down, man! They're mine!"

Quite drab, aren't they? There were peacocks (and peahens) up in trees too - they can fly!

Ann and I were mistaken as tourists with food by this gaggle of mallards and wood-ducks.
"Food? Food? Food?"

So many ducks! Even those ones in the distance came running!

We found the totem. Read about it here.
 That's carved out of a single tree! Amazing!

Of course, when you come to Victoria, you have to touch the Pacific Ocean. And you have to make it real, even if only till the tide comes in.
Sheila! Ann!

As ephemeral as we are.

We had a lovely time gabbing over coffee. I walked Ann back to her hotel, then browsed through the Velvet Crease consignment store on the way home. No luck, clothes-wise, but I did find this awesome silver and aventurine ring.
 I love the way the "branches" splay out on the top and bottom.

The aventurine is nice and clear with a pretty glow.
 The ring is a simple construction. As aventurine is native to India, I'd guess that's where this ring was made.

Handmade, obviously, but the construction is solid. There's the .925 silver stamp.
 This was $40. Worth it! I can't wait to wear it.

On Saturday, L and I met up with Nick and Casey for brunch at the Ruby, which will be our downtown diner of choice until something better comes along.
 We are creatures of habit. It's a longer walk than Floyd's was, and we had a couple of errands to do on the way home, so comfy clothes for me.


  • Sweater - J. Crew, thrifted; last worn here (4th outfit) in April 2018 for chillin' with friends
  • Pants - H&M, consignment; first worn here in December 2018 with black monkey arms and fringe
  • Shoes - Aerosoles, consignment; last seen here (6th outfit) in November 2018 for shopping with Vero
  • Coat (below) - Frank Lyman; last worn here in September 2018



I haven't worn this sweater in a while, but I love the rich blue.
 It's quite a thick wool, so perfect for a sunny, but slightly chilly day. I have a camisole on underneath as well.

Stretchy silver pants, because that's what I wear to a casual brunch.
 Doesn't everyone wear silver pants to a diner?

Outerwear - I have clip my tresses up and out of the way of the studs on this jacket, or they rip out my hair. Ouch!
L is doing his Urban Cowboy look

Fully zipped, bundled, locked and loaded.
My guy looks so cool - thumbs up!

We had a few stares as we strolled around town. We kind of stand out in a sea of leggings and beige.

The stuff:
 Good walking shoes. I wore knee-high nylons, not bare feet.

Simple bling:
 Plain stuff, but still special to me.


  • White gold earrings - 10th anniversary gift from L
  • Lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes


L bought me this awesome mid-90s sweatshirt from the Patch! Thanks, love!
What?? A vintage Carolina Panthers sweatshirt! Yeah! Off to watch some football!

On Sunday, we awoke to sunny skies and warm temps - I can't believe it's January!
 Ahoy! I see blue skies!


  • Velvet blazer - Talbots, thrifted; first seen here in October 2018 with teal and dragons
  • Sweater - Lacoste, thrifted; first worn here in October 2018 with all-green
  • Skirt - Gunex, thrifted; last seen here in October 2018 with loads of textures
  • Shoes - Matisse; last worn here on another shop in December 2018


I walked to town to do groceries and to spend some of my Christmas gift cards.
I love the fine wool and the soft green colour of this wool sweater.

A scarf at my neck for warmth, and a kitten-soft blazer over that.
 I should have worn a vintage slip under this - I was a little chilly at times.

Another wearing of my bark skirt - it's a very stiff taffeta, woven in dark brown and black. It shimmers in bright light - you can see a bit of that in the stair pic above.
I like the ragged hem and the crinkled texture of the skirt. It's also a billower! You know I love that.

Outerwear - fooled you! I didn't wear a coat!
 Gloves and an angora vintage toque, and I was good to go.


  • Toque - vintage, thrifted
  • Gloves - Parkhurst


This was a good shopping outfit, very easy for trying things on.

The stuff:
 I have a few go-to shoes when I go shopping - these are so comfy.


  • Earrings - consignment, Powell River


My bosses at work gave me a Fluevog gift card for Christmas, so of course, I had to spend it.
 I've had my eyes on these babies since they came out. They are the Truths Teah (link here 'cause I love), and I paid $299 for them - my bosses were generous!

They are a tall, ornate boot - I wanted a to-the-knee boot I could wear out and about and be comfortable walking in.
 But they have such lovely details. I adore the silver brushing all over.

Scalloped trim, studs and buckles, oh my!
 The calves are a bit tight, but they'll loosen up over time.

The toes remind me of suits of armour.
 That's the perfect pointy toe for this chick.

You may recognize the shape of this shoe - I also have these ones and these ones from the same family.
 They have rubber soles too - no slipping! I know I will get my money's worth out of these.

I went to Flavour Upstairs but didn't find anything that zinged, so I strolled up to the Women in Need (WIN) store, where I found two pieces that I forgot to purchase the last time I was there.
The earrings are...maybe Vendome? Or put on a Vendome card to sell them (more likely).

I did learn that Vendome was the high-end version of Coro (a name I know), and only existed until 1979.
 $25.00 would have been pretty pricey back then.

The belt buckle is a modern piece and probably sold for more then $9.95. I gave it to L (it would have been a stocking stuffer).
 Both pieces were in the sale case, so the earrings were $3.12 and the buckle was $5.00.

Sunday's sale was all vintage 50% off. I have been eyeing this autumn-toned wool skirt for a while, and that made me bite.
 I thought of Vix! This screams 1970s to me.

I love how the pattern lines up.
 It's a wool blend knit, and I couldn't find any moth-holes.

The red bits attracted me - I have plenty in my closet in tan, black, brown and red that will go with this piece.
 It's floor-length on me, and the mermaid hem is great for walking (and makes one's butt look good).

It's made in Italy and is 85% wool, 15% polyamide.
 The size 12 is equivalent to a modern size 8, so we know for sure that this is before the mid-80s Great Size Shift. Isn't that a great vintage label? The little white label is in French - possibly this was sold in a boutique in Montreal in the 70s.

It's partially lined, and has a side zip with two hook-and-eyes, but my eye was caught by the two chains at either side of the waistband, meant for holding its weight on a hanger. Nice detail.
 This was $9.00.

I only had about 45 minutes in WIN, so I just quickly went through the racks, looking for the best stuff. The drama of this robe caught my eye.
 It is a silvery-grey floral on a black sheer background. The cuffs are black satin and the ends of the ties are a black tassel.

It's by La Vie En Rose, a mall chain.
 I don't know that I would consider this vintage, but I'll take it at $5.50.

When I got home, I put away my clothes and stood up the bark skirt.
"What magic is this?"

He knocked it over trying to get under it. Such shenanigans!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Thank you so much for visiting.

28 comments:

  1. Ha ha ha ha. "When I got home, I put away my clothes and stood up the bark skirt." Excellent visual to show how stiff it is! I had to look up aventurine. I have a ring from my childhood with a plastic stone that must be masquerading as aventurine. Thank you for sharing the photo of all the mallards! I'm imagining their quacky chorus. Your shoes from the first outfit remind me of the outfits if the Pearly Kings and Queens of England! Your bright skies are a sharp contrast to the dumping of snow we got this weekend in St. Louis. Cheers to a happy and successful work week, Sheila!

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    1. Hee! It's something you have to see! I love ducks - they were very vocal, Mel-Bee! Happy week to you in St. Louis!

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  2. I love the silver pants with that blue top - a fabulous color combination! The studded Frank Lyman jacket is amazing. No wonder you and L got stares - you obviously looked super cool together. I have a ring in a very similar design to the aventurine one, except mine is with garnets and it is from India. As soon as I saw the photo I guessed it was Indian. Your new boots are brilliant - great choice! Lise

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    1. Thank you, Lise! We always get looks - I have always loved that. Oh, cool, thanks for verifying my guess on the ring's origin.

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  3. Love that last pic of the bark skirt, haha! How nice you got to meet up with your colleague, and it looks like fun spotting all the peacocks! I don't think we have any in Australia? Never seen any anyway! Your brunch outfit is my favourite, blue and silver is a combo I wear often! Although not as fun as this, I have no metallic jeans left :( Really looking forward to seeing how you wear that brown skirt you thrifted and those boots look awesome!

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    1. Well, I'm glad I posted so many pics of the peacocks for you, Mica! Thank you so much - I'll be wearing all my new items this week (I think).

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  4. Hey Sheila! Those peacocks! We try so hard to look eye-catching and they are effortlessly exquisite. Glad you gave the peahens some love too. Your new maxi skirt is all the good things - cannot wait to see it on you, xox.

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    1. I know, danged birds! They have it easy! I'll be wearing the skirt this week!

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  5. I love the pic of you in the silver pants with L in the back. What a fun meet-up you got to do---I love hanging out lol Great boots!

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    1. He's such a cool dude, isn't he? It was so fun to hang out with someone who "got it." Thanks, Becky!

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  6. It's a toss up between your JP Gaultier outfit, the silver pants/studded jacket one, and your bark skirt outfit for my favourite. You're really making it hard to choose! Love the new ring and those amazing boots. And the peacocks! Aren't they magnificent. We used to stay at a B&B in the UK, which had a garden full of peacocks, peahens and the cutest pea-babies! Here's to a good week ahead, with as little stress as possible! xxx

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    1. And here I thought you'd be all over the vintage skirt, Ann! Thanks so much! I love peacocks, gorgeous things. Happy week to you too, m'dear!

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  7. I definitely go for the Jean Paul Gaultier jeans. I bought a denim jacket by him 30 years ago, I think I was on bread and water week's after that. L looks so very cool.

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  8. You've gone big on the jumpers! They all looked fab but my two favourites are the silver trousers and the bark skirt with the velvet jacket. Such lovely, autumnal , mellow colours together and the beret is just perfect with it.

    Your new boots are wonderful and yes I immediately thought of a suit of armour, too!

    I loved your ring and earrings and the belt buckle is beautiful. Lucky L! The maxi skirt is gorgeous and as for the robe - fabulous. Are you going to wear as a robe or as a kimono over your clothes? Do tell...

    Amazing bird life in that park!

    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I guess I did! I like my shopping outfit too.

      Hee, glad I'm not the only one who saw that in the boots. I think I will wear the robe over a dressy outfit - it has that sort of Roaring 20s look to it, doesn't it?

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  9. I love your clothes. Silver pants, yes please! Lace-up high-waisted jeans? Of course! Sorry 'bout the demise of Floyd's. It's hard to change a habit.

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  10. Wow, so much fab things in one post. How cool that you got a voucher from your boss and bought such a unique pair of boots with it. X

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    1. My bosses were very generous! I'm excited to wear the boots!

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  11. Those two Gautier items look so good together, even if one is a man's shirt. I recently bought a men's Ascot Chang shirt that am still to wear.... i just fell in love with the fabric and the boxiness.
    Your new silver ring reminds me of one I bought in Cancun that is very, very similar but with red stones.
    That Vix vintage skirt looks very Missoni to me.

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    1. Thanks, Lorena! I didn't mind the men's shirt - I had lots of hem to tie up. I want to see your shirt!

      Yes, good call - it does look very Missoni, doesn't it?

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  12. Ooooo, those boots are Squee-worthy! How nice you were able to spend some time with your Edmonton equivalent. I am a program assistant there are many of us on campus so if we happen to be at a training session together, we can compare notes on whatever is driving us crazy at the time.

    That maxi skirt is rather Vix-y, isn't it? Definitely a quality piece.

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    1. I'm excited to wear them. I have never met one of my cross-country counterparts, even though I deal with many of them. It was really interesting.

      Oh, yes, she'll love it, I'm sure.

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  13. I love your Gaultier pants and how lovely they look with those floral shoes and red leather coat!, and a matchy scarf!. Glad that your colleague and you enjoyed a nice day! I'm amazed by all these peacocks and ducks!
    Also love your silver pants and fab jacket ensemble, you totally rock in it!. Looking comfy & cool!!
    Lots of fab purchases too, love the aventurine ring and the wool skirt!
    And so lovely pic of Vizzini looking at your skirt! mwhaha
    besos

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    1. No peacocks where you are? Well, I'm happy I took so many photos of them! Thank you! Vizzini always wants to investigate everything!

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