Here's Friday's outfit, built around my new shoes!
This is the first time I've worn this tux & hoodie jacket pinned closed - it has no closure aside from the hood tie - and I loved it like this!
I had fun picking bits of green out of my closet and accessories to match.
- Hoodie with tails - Jeremy Scott X Adidas, consignment; last seen here in February for a Mom-Day
- Cotton turtleneck - Zara, consignment; last worn here in September with a pouf and a peplum
- Leopard jeans - Kensie, consignment; purchased here for $35.00
- Shoes - Modvog Santoro, Fluevog; purchased here for $366.70 after a discount and gift card
This is the first wearing of these jeans, and I liked them, especially showing off my Grinch socks.
It's better from the back too!
I needed the scarf and gloves in the morning, but not by afternoon.
That giant hood is stoopid, although handy to completely hide my face.
Incognito!
The stuff:
Mixed bling:
As you can spy, I put thin cushion insoles inside these shoes for their first wearing. I walked to the office and worked all day (bused home with groceries) and they were predictable stiff, being patent leather, but I can tell they will be amazing after a dozen wearings.
- Scarf - Zadig & Voltaire, consignment
- Belt - consignment
- Lemon-lime crystal brooch - Gram S, vintage 1950s
- Snake brooch - consignment
- Star pin - consignment
Left the gloves in my bag, oops!
- Gloves - Parkhurst
- Lucite/silver cuff - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Vancouver
- Green stone bracelet - vintage mall
- Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower, c. 2005
- Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
- Necklace - Stella & Dot, thrifted
- Earrings - thrifted, Seattle
Here's a look at the jewelry in situ.
I used a giant safety pin under the lapel where my finger is - that's holding the jacket closed along with Gram's dome rhinestone brooch.
Whateley helped me.
More leaf-watching.
The maple tree is mostly bare, but the Garry Oaks have yet to de-leaf.
We were up early on Saturday to get the jump on brunch, as we had grocery shopping to do, plus decorating our full place and prepping the food for our party. And THEN we got into costume!
So, brunch. I just went for what I felt like wearing.
The big red stretchy belt showed when I walked. So much swooshing!
I'm deeply fond of this Gucci rip-off shirt - it just clicks for me.
- Shirt - Miss Ann International, vintage fair; last seen here (2nd outfit) in April for hosting Winesday
- Skirt - Ralph Lauren, consignment; last worn here in August with red lace and a dragon
- Shoes - Groovy Aubrey, Fluevog; last seen here (2nd outfit) in September with an outfit I completely sold at the pre-Limbo
- Leather coat (below) - Tibor, vintage 80s, consignment; last worn here in March
The black tank is one of my many thrifted/non-tracked camisoles.
I've been waiting for an excuse to wear this coat.
I was the sparkliest in the grocery store!
The stuff:
I adore this light wool scarf - it's the perfect accompaniment to my new scarab brooch.
- Leather purse - Arcadia, consignment
- Wool scarf - Metropolitan Museum of Art "Eagle Wing" scarf, King Tut exhibit, 1970s, thrifted, Seattle
- Wool gloves - Parkhurst
- Belt - thrifted
It was warm enough that I didn't really need the scarf, and I ditched the gloves almost immediately.
Egyptian bling:
Barnabas was first.
I almost wore the gold cat earrings, but went with the matchy pearl spirals and turquoise dots instead.
- Hinged eelskin bird bangle - vintage 80s, consignment
- Hinged eelskin bangles - both vintage 80s, thrifted
- Scarab brooch - consignment; purchased here for $10.00
- Silver/gold cobra ring - vintage fair
- Scarab ring - Heidi Daus, vintage mall, gift from L
- Earrings - Martha Sturdy, vintage 90s, vintage fair
I picked up an LED blinking pumpkin on season-end half-price discount at the drugstore, and the boys very much enjoyed the box.
Then Whateley kicked him out.
"My box."
Barnabas would like it back.
Whateley says nope.
Both of them love to bite cardboard.
By Saturday afternoon, all this cardboard was chomped-on.
Whateley settled in.
And Barnabas looked on wistfully.
L's brunch outfit was excellent.
Blog-worthy!
My hair's a darkish steel grey, which will lighten up to a silver in a few days.
I've done this before.
Nicky's here!
We had a yummy lunch.
Averil comped our coffee's, what a sweetheart.
The kittens helped. Whateley was enamoured of the glittery skull and pumpkins.
And L bought us all brunch. Yeowch, everything is so expensive. I had the special: a two-egg scrambled wrap with a hashbrown patty, guacamole, hot sauce and smoked salmon. Dee-lish!
When we got home, I prepped all of the food, pulling out bowls and plates, washing and cutting veggies, then wrapping it and refridgerating it.
Then I got out the lights and decorations and set it all up.
I drew a spiderweb in the condensation on the window.
I left the doors open to cool the house a bit, as our place gets warm over the course of the evening and we expected just over 20 people.
Lights on the bookcase, and prismatic webs and glitter spiders on the walls.
I have to limit the décor to items out of little kittens' reach.
The styrofoam gravestones were sniffed and ignored.
I love the purple and oranges.
Whateley knocked the green pumpkin down.
Our friends liked looking at all our pictures.
The family wall.
Parents, brothers, nieces, us, cats.
New multi-coloured lights around Liz, a rare limited work by local artist Myfanwy Pavelic.
The wall of dearest friends.
Smaug, my gargoyle, and a picture of L and I from 1996 (the frame was a wedding gift from Rosanna and Greg).
You can see me in the mirror! Sort of...
Drinking vessels and the new pumpkin.
That spider web kept falling down, so I moved it.
I might need to keep that out all year round - I really like it.
My cast-iron candelabra that I've had since the late 90s.
All decorated, so time to crimp! Our party theme was "None More Glam," a play off the "none more black" meme from the movie Spinal Tap.
I teased my friends with pictures.
I've had my genuine Windemere Crimper since I bought it at Eaton's in 1986.
Half of my head done.
They made me promise to bring my crimper to Winesday. We must all crimp!
The full head done! This took about half an hour. My hair expanded over the evening, plus I hairsprayed it to go bigger.
Simultaneously awesome, terrifying and hilarious. Those are my gold leggings that I wore here back for our 70s party in October 2013 - they have lost their shiny luster!
Then I did my outfit pictures, leaving my make-up till an hour before the party, just after I got L's outfit done. We were going for a Dee Snider/Twisted Sister metal look.
Doing the metal face!
That's the red top that I thrifted - I shredded the arms, neckline and hem. I absolutely love that L went for this! Rock and roll, my love!
It amused me that this cling-on decoration covered my face, since I hadn't done my make-up.
I did my pictures during my "test drive" of both outfits - I also did Glam...only more rock.
I'm not noting any of this for tracking purposes, other than the boots.
- Boots - Matisse, thrifted; last worn here in August
I will be wearing the leggings for walks and around the house, and I gave the top to the kittens as they really liked the softness of it.
I cut the sleeves off this sweater and made them into leg warmers. There's a red elastic band around each ankle, holding them into place.
I cut the neckline off and it REALLY stretched out, so I had to pin the neck closed so the sweater wouldn't fall right off.
I twisted the neckline into a wristband - very 80s!
The stuff:
They ripped throughout the night, sadly, but they were fun with the outfit. I'm not keeping this top either, but no regrets!
I wore this for two hours, then changed at 10pm.
- Lucite/silver bracelet - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Vancouver
- Two smaller pearl necklaces - both Eaton's, 1987
- Kilt pin - vintage 50s, Mom's
- Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower
- Silver snake ring - BC Museum gift shop, 1986
- Hammered silver ring - consignment, Sidney
- Large pearl necklace - vintage, consignment
- Snake earrings - Red Sky
A selfie of my make-up.
Just stuff in my make-up stash: a dark blush, black eyeliner and lipstick.
Outfit number two - a bit sexier for later in the evening.
I knew I wouldn't be wearing this new-to-me leather skirt like this but for a party? Perfect!
I cut the arms off this sparkly top and also made them into little ankle-warmers, then slashed the neckline vertically. I had a vintage lace camisole under for both outfits.
More helping from Whateley. He hid for the entire party, but Barnabas was out and social for most of it.
The risque tights are Traparenze, bought for under $10 in a thrift shop ages ago.
The stuff:
A snaky dress, green accessories (she dyed the shoes),
I had all my accessories ready from my test-drive so I just slipped in to my closet and changed. Presto!
- Satin tie - no idea, can't remember where it came from
- Leather cuff - Guess, thrifted
- Studded leather cuff - vintage 90s
- Crystal necklace - thrifted, Vancouver
- Crystal heart earrings - vintage fair
- Crystal heart cuff - Juicy Couture, consignment
- Rings - as above
I only took a few pictures as folks arrived, and of course, missed a bunch of people!
Me and Rosanna!
Her outfit was Glamedusa, and she made all of it.
An amazing snaky crown.
And perfect make-up. The shoulder pads are from a dog dinosaur costume, and the beads are Christmas garland.
Food! White chocolate macadamia cookies, caramel cashews, grapes and sour berries.
All gone by 2am.
The main spread. Yes, that is a creepy zombie baby head in the middle of the veggies.
All the party food groups: chocolate, meat/cheese/crackers (1 cheese/meat per 6 people is a good ratio for planning), chips, candy (Rockets! My favourite), nuts and chips.
Casey, give me your best glam attitude.
He's dressed like a Victorian, but he's a punk at heart.
Chris knows how to act like a glam rock star. Helps if you open the bottle.
Ali had her pink wig and a sweet swooshy jumpsuit with platform.
Giving all the glam!
Michael and Ciara.
I gave Ciara that silk beaded dress many years ago, during the pandemic. I love seeing it!
All of my friends were wearing things they'd been given or had bought from me.
Vero in the Yeti coat and my Nicole Miller sequined skirt. Fabulous!
Party Boy Nick is here!
Love the 70s vibe - he and Yvonne matched (I missed catching her and Cat, boo).
Ron (Caro was in Vancouver) and Nick.
Come on, Chris, get in here with Rosanna and Randall and I.
There we go!
I found feathers all around the house in the morning.
Party on, boys!
Green was a theme!
There we go!
I love my friends so much.
The only picture I have of Cat, having a chat with L and Ali.
I sold her that Marc Cain dress!
Ronnie and Greg.
Love a crowd shot.
I see Cat in the background, Ali, Justin, Yvonne, L and Ron. L and I cleaned up after everyone left and crashed into bed at 2am.
The kittens are all recovered.
"I'm going to destroy that big glitter spider..."
I'm going to risk leaving my decorations up for the Hallowe'en week. They're so fun!
"I have glitter pumpkins in my future."
And with that, it's time to go back to that couch and savour the waning hours of that far-too-short weekend. Thanks so much for being here, my friends.
