Mom-Day in Fall Coatigan, Orange and Wine, Plus a Wee Shop

Hello, my friends, and welcome to Mom-Day! Today, L drove me (L took the rest of the week off to do a Sabaton concert in Vancouver with pal Spence) to Mom's.

We finished the puzzle, had a little naughty snack, and then Mom and I cabbed to Floyd's Diner for a delicious lunch for my birthday. It was a wonderful day - thank you, Mom! I love you! 

But first, the outfit. 

Now that I've done my closet swap-over, I'm excited to actually wear all these main pieces more than once in the season. 

• Coatigan - Chacok, consignment, Sidney; last worn here in October 2025 for a Mom-Day in yellow and orange cords
• Ice Cube tee - tour merch, not tracked
• Leather skirt - Tory Burch, consignment; last seen here in February in a scarf-based outfit
• Boots - Original Mittwoch, Fluevog; last worn here in August when I met up with Judith and Leslie (HI!!!)

I took the sweater off a couple of times. I didn't feel like wearing a fancier top, and this Ice Cube one went well with the coatigan.

I loved wearing this wine leather skirt again and liked it with yesterday's tights even better.

As I walked home in the late afternoon a person at the bus stop hollered, "I love your outfit, ma'am!" 

Thank you, kind person. This is how most of the world saw me. I loved all these colours together! 

The stuff: 

I just had enough room in my purse to stuff a bag of salted chocolates in for Mom. 

• Suede purse - Dooney & Burke, consignment
• Gold/amber ant pin - Russian, consignment

Red and brass bling: 

Two things of Mom's! 

• Brass/leather cuff - vintage 70s, Mom's
• Carved faux cinnabar bangle - consignment
• Stone bangle - consignment
• Klimt wooden ring - consignment
• Square ring - sidewalk find
• Brass ring - vintage mall
• Stone ring - thrifted
• Leather/bead choker - vintage 70s, Mom's
• Earrings - LA Express, c. 1994

Okay, gotta go, buddy. 

Bye, Whateley! 

Presents from Mom, plus a Fluevog gift card. So generous!  

We shared a piece of birthday cake - it was chocolate with a custard layer. YUM. 

Mom saved the last section of the puzzle to do together. 

It took about 45 minutes to finish. 

Feeling good about getting it done. 

Let's go for lunch! 

Our server Hannah was so happy to see us - it's been ages since we had lunch here. 

Mom has decided to give up driving - she's had some eye issues and will get good trade-in value for her car, enough for us to cab to wherever we want to go! I love her positive attitude, of finding the good in the bad. Always look on the bright side of life...(whistles). 

As I bused back to town, we passed the Roxy Theatre, a building made in the Quonset hut style. 

I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show here in the 80s - it was wild! My Book Club cohorts and I were texting about shows we'd seen, inspired by some of our books...and I was able to find the exact one: here, November 2013.

I popped into the WIN Boutique on the way home - I haven't been there in months, and I treated myself to a thorough browse. I also cashed in my 50% off discount for my birthday in their WINsiders Club. 

I liked these faux pony-hair spotty leopard gloves. 

You can see the fuzzy texture near the fingertips. 

The palms are leather, which is nice.

They were tagged at $7.95, but $4.98 for me! 

They look nice on. 

There's no tag on them, but the CA number tells me that they are Paris Glove Company of Canada, a manufacturer that sells to retailer lines. 

I'm always up for a new white tee - they get dirty and worn over time. 

This is a good cut - nice neckline. 

It's from Spring/Summer 2022.

Nice to know. 

And it's from Eddie Bauer. 

Although it says cotton, it's a blend. It was $4.98 for me, tagged at $9.95. 

Another tulle skirt?

But this one's plaid! The colours are black, grey and lines of blue and brown.

A sparkly gold waistband. This is by Lili Sidonio, a "rock & roll" subset of Molly Bracken. 

They run up to $85.00 retail - it was $7.48 for me! I'll probably sell this one at the Limbo sale - the plaid doesn't ring my bell. 

I did like the details on this skirt. 

Red thread is cute! 

Custom labels, embroidery and studs. 

I do love Betsey! 

This is the only tag. 

Polyurethane? Where? It doesn't feel like denim, even though it looks like it. 

I bought it for the skull! 

It was only $7.48, so I'm okay if it doesn't work out. 

And then I went home! 

Are you happy to see me? 

Barnabas wouldn't even open his eyes. 

So rude! 

My friends, my birthday is on Friday, and it's the long Thanksgiving weekend, so I am signing off for a few days. I'll be back on Monday with tales of adventure, but for now, that chocolate's not going to eat itself. Thank you for being here! 

Birthday Week! Lace and Velvet Pirate

Hello, my friends! I went full pirate today, deploying my very favourite embroidered velvet jacket and a whole bunch of lace.

I have to wear all velvet blazers and jackets in my closet before the really cold weather comes. 

• Embroidered silk velvet jacket - Tahari, thrifted; last worn here almost exactly a year ago, with black and burgundy
• Lace sleeveless top - April Cornell, thrifted; last seen here in January with my teal suit (same shoes!)
• Lace skirt - April Cornell, thrifted; first worn here a year ago in October 2025 (with this matching top)
• Shoes - Super Fine Cardinal, Fluevog; last seen here in June with patchwork and a red skirt

You can see the detail on the jacket better in my hall mirror selfie. 

Both sides of the cuffs are embroidered - it goes under the lapels, and around the entire hem AND across the upper back! It's amazing. 

The lace cuffs are separate - they are just an elastic with a bunch of lace. I bought them in the mid-90s when I worked at LA Express, a mall clothing store. I am pretty sure I paid $2.95 for them, not including my staff discount. 

You can see the necklace layering well here. Mom bought me this Murano glass snake pendant for my 49th birthday in Venice in 2014 (here). 

I paired this top and skirt - yes! separates! - together again. I haven't worn this skirt solo yet, but I will! 

I owned the top for about 3 years before I thrifted the skirt a year ago. 

Incognito. 

Whateley plonked himself down in the doorway, very much in the way. CATS. I did not need the gloves or scarf on the way home. We had a beautiful day! 

The stuff: 

See? Cuffs! 

• Lace cuffs - LA Express, c. 1994
• Silk scarf - Pierre Balmain, vintage 80s, thrifted
• Wool gloves - Parkhurst

Snaky bling: 

Yes, I wore bracelets even though I had the cuffs on all day. 

• Snake coil bracelet - vintage 90s, consignment
• Hinged eelskin bangle - vintage 80s, thrifted
• Silver snake ring - BC Museum gift shop, c. 1986
• Gold/amethyst ring - Francis Jewellers, c. 1965, Dad's
• Brass leopard ring - thrifted
• Earrings - Red Sky (local)
• Crystal necklace - J. Crew, consignment
• Glass snake pendant - Venice, gift from Mom

Last night when I finished writing, I found the boys waiting for me. 

Hey, Barnabas. Hi, Whateley boy. 

I'll be back tomorrow with Mom-Day! 

Birthday Week! The Leaves are Turning Yellow

I was so happy to have this wonderful jacket back in my closet - I immediately paired it with things I've worn it with before.

The newest addition is the yellow cotton blouse. It has enormous sleeves! 

• Wool/silk blazer - Julie Haus, Fall 2011 RTW Collection, thrifted; last seen here in November 2025 with a swooshy skirt (worn only once)
• Cotton top - Zara, consignment; last worn here (2nd outfit) in September for Mom-Day in Sidney
• Crinkle skirt - Oska, consignment; last seen here in September with ruffles and Mom's vest that went to Jess
• Shoes - Wonders Ayers, Fluevog; last worn here in February with my $1,000-dollar sweater (and this same skirt)

It reminded me of the pops of yellow in some of the trees as the leaves turn and start to drop. 

I shoved the sleeves up on the jacket to let the cuffs peek out. 

Showing my brooches. 

And the asymmetrical lapel, a detail I love. 

Incognito! 

It was foggy all morning, then lovely and almost sunny on the walk home. This was just right. 

The stuff: 

Soft fall olives. 

• Silk scarf - Echo, thrifted
• Wool fingerless gloves - Parkhurst
• Spike brooch - gift from Alison
• Shovel brooch - vintage 70s, Mom's
• Mink/pearl brooch - vintage, thrifted

Olive bling: 

I found a little box with a few belts in it while I was digging in my tights - I'd forgotten about this cool link belt. 

• Belt - Suzy Roher, thrifted
• Stone bangle - consignment
• Green stone bracelet - vintage mall
• Brass rings x 2 - vintage mall
• Necklace - Plum, c. 2004
• Earrings - thrifted, Seattle

Sorry, no kitty pictures today - they were very naughty this morning and tore down one of my solar light strings on the deck (they bit right through it!).

Birthday Week! Vest, Stained Glass and Brutalist

In case you missed it, it's my birthday this week, so I'm celebrating by wearing a bunch of my favourite things in my closet. 

Today, it's my embellished/distressed vest and my "stained glass" silk skirt. 

• Vest - Religion, consignment; last worn here (2nd outfit) in July for brunch
• Cotton sweater - Betty Barclay, thrifted; last seen here in October 2025 with plaid and bark
• Silk skirt - Tangerine Jill, thrifted; last worn here in February for Sweetheart Week
• Velvet/leather boots - Austen Biblio, Fluevog; last seen here in September with Paris and plaid
• Jacko (jacket + poncho) - Levi's X Junya Watanabe, consignment; last worn here in May for a birthday  Mom-Day at the HCP gardens

Castle view! 

We had a lovely day (and it was a gorgeous weekend), but it's still chilly in the morning. 

I layered a red cotton thin sweater under the vest, which I've had for about 5 years. I like the metal tubes that line the lapels and pockets and that it has 5 pockets. 

It's a recut from a men's jacket (of course) with extra fabric on the sides, and frayed edges. It's very rock & roll. 

The skirt is by former local company Tangerine Jill, which sold in downtown local boutiques back in the 90s-00s. I've had several pieces of it over the years including a multi-coloured sheath dress version of this.

It literally wore out - the outer layer is black silk organza, very gauzy, and those are silk squares and rectangles sewn on in a mix of silks. So much work! 

Incognito. 

I like the look of my denim/suit-wool cape undone like this, but it tends to slide around when I'm walking vigourously (as I do). 

It's a chi-chi designer collaboration with Levi's so it's a weird recut of a jean jacket. 

I like the weird. 

The stuff: 

These long skinny "opera" scarves are perfect this time of year. 

• Leather purse - Rebecca Minkoff, consignment
• Silk fringed scarf - vintage, thrifted
• Leather gloves - Coach, consignment
• Snake brooch - c.1986, gift from Mom & Dad

Brutalist bling: 

And of course, my Brutalist pewter collection has returned! I'm so happy to have it back, and showed it off to my coworker. 

• Brutalist pewter cuff bracelet and link bracelet - both Robert Larin, vintage 70s, vintage mall, gifts from L
• Square ring - thrifted
• "Volcano" ring - vintage 70s, Mom's
• Brutalist pewter necklace - Robert Larin, vintage 70s, thrifted, Sidney
• Earrings - vintage mall

Barnabas was ensconced in his favourite snoozing spot. 

An extra cozy blanket as the deck gets cold after the sun goes down. 

Whateley still hangs out on his bench. 

He was being very cuddly, not happy to see me leave in the morning. Sorry, little bud.