Try, Try Again...and Video!

So this is the thin jacket that I meant to wear last week here (and left at home):
I felt like it got short shrift, so I put together this outfit so it wouldn't feel bad. Ha, like it cares! Ungrateful jacket!

Anyway, I thought this outfit picked out the colours in the skirt well. Last time I wore this, I went with the emerald green (here).

The stuff:
I kept the accessories pretty simple because of all the colour. Maybe a necklace.

Oh, and although I could not get Inigo to mew on cue for Wendy, I did manage to shoot a wee bit of video. Enjoy!

Jacket (Pelican Cove, consignment), top (Tristan), cami (InWear), skirt (Nine & Company, consignment), shoes (Tsubo), earrings (The Cobbler).

Two Years of Blogging...A Retrospective

As of March 31st, I will have been blogging for two whole years! Wow, I can't believe it's been so long!

Firstly, thank you to everyone who reads, comments, votes on polls! Secondly, thank you to all of my wonderful fellow fashion bloggers, for your inspiration, style, humour, honesty and community. Thirdly, I thought it would be fun to do a retrospective of what I've done thus far.

The First Fashion Post. I was so nervous about putting my first outfit together. Oh, the pressure! How would I format the post? Should I write where I bought things? I had L take my pictures with our new camera (I hadn't figured out the whole timer thing yet). I sent the link to my blog out to all of my friends - so exciting!

2008: In early posts, I still hadn't figured out how to pose quite right, and I forgot to smile in most of the pictures (I only got one shot, as L is not very patient!). My hair is really short! I started taking pictures of my feet to show off my shoes.

The first comments appear - even more exciting - until I get a weird comment about my feet on this post (it was deleted - he wanted me to email him pictures of my veiny feet). I stop taking pictures of my feet.

Eventually, I figured out the timer. I love seeing my old clothes that I don't have anymore. I've only worn this dress once?

My first Dress Week is in May! I also start to objectively see that certain styles don't suit me (swing jackets, cropped jackets, skirts that are too long). I'm not layering a lot - my outfits are pretty simple, often with a belt or single bold piece of jewelry being my accent piece. My skinny jeans are still in my wardrobe then:

My consignment shopping finds start to appear, as do my first shots of the accessories ("the stuff"). By August, I am getting at least one comment on every post! Kasmira comments! I feel like I've "made it"! My hair starts getting whackadoo.

I also post my craziest outfit so far: what I wore to see Alice Cooper in concert. Not your everyday style! I got 6 comments on that post - the most ever to that point (not counting my own responses to comments).

My glasses snap in half while I'm out shopping - oh, the drama! New spectacles appear, and my very first guest on the blog, Mom:

I post a mini-tour of my closet. I am pushing my own limits on what is appropriate for work by wearing vintage jewelry, sparkly clothing and...pleather pants:

And for the first time, I post a picture of myself when I was fat:

Inspired by Jane (formerly of Work That Wardrobe), I participated in the first Capsule Wardrobe Challenge. Also inspired by her, I begin to ponder a resolution for the New Year...and I start making goofy poses:

I also give out Major Awards!

2009: The year of my Fashion Resolution - no new clothes or shoes! I shopped thrift, consignment, swapped with friends (and strangers at an organized swap event), and got gifts. I feel like this was the turning point for my style, as I got a lot more creative with mixing items.

A series of request posts (including the massive "How to Spice up Your Man's Look" post) yield a huge amount of comments. Wow!

Kitties appear at regular intervals:

More goofy poses, and a speech. Outfits go terribly wrong.

My new thrift/second-hand only shopping starts to yield some amazing pieces, like my python jacket:

I celebrate my first blogoversary by recreating what's left of my first outfit - my hair's getting long:

I stumble upon my Casual Friday rocker uniform, revolutionizing my casual look with layering tees over long-sleeved shirts, adding denim and texture and rocker accessories:

I got recognized for the first time! Vintage dresses are on my radar:

My jewelry box got an airing and I talked about cycling through your clothes for profit at consignment stores.

My yellow boots were acquired, causing a frenzy of Paint-drawing at work:

And I did the Canadian tuxedo: double denim!

The 2nd Capsule Wardrobe Challenge was a blast, and I blogged a whole week of what I ate. I also wore a leather dress to work:

And I got a tattoo:

But I finished my whole year of no new clothes/shoes - and did a recap and gave out some more Major Awards!

2010: I started to blurb about books and reading an hour a day (it's tough going).

I finally figure out how to brighten up my pictures!

My most comments ever (19) came from this outfit:

And here we are! That was so fast...and yet it feels so long. Again, thanks everyone for being here.

Cheers,

Sheila

Neutral-O-Rama

I haven't really worn this skirt very much since I got it. I always feel like I should give an item at least 3 outfits in my wardrobe, to know that it really belongs there. I don't love this skirt, but I like it. I love it less now that the hem came undone today. Grrr!
I wore it before here, and here. I thought the grey top went well, and I love the big belt.

The stuff:

My favourite brown boots (which are starting to get worn out, after nearly 3 years), and the pearl necklace, which is new to me (another item from the $10 grab bag from a couple of weekends ago).

Bonus:

Inigo is mid-meow.

Sweater (Press), skirt (Mexx, consignment), belt (Le Chateau), boots (Roberto Vianni), earrings (Aldo Accessories), necklace (consignment).

Blue Monday

On a weekend when I don't go shopping, I like to plan my outfits to include stuff I haven't worn too much, like this skirt:
I wore it in January here...and...nope, just that one time. Huh.

Anyway, due to the extreme amount of stuff going on in the skirt, it limits one a bit as to what one can wear with it. Ya got blue, grey, black, yellow/gold, white/silver. I guess that's a lot. I don't think I'll be throwing another colour into the mix anytime soon, though.

I like the blue legs with it, and there's a mustard cami peeking out a bit at the top.

The stuff:

Isn't that bigass bangle perfect with it? Love!

Top (Oxmo), cami (Smart Set), skirt (Nygard), hose (Hue), shoes (BCBGirls), cuff (Aldo Accessories), earrings (Plum).

Casual Friday - Stay Fabulous or Get Slapped!

When Erin says "Stay Fabulous or Get Slapped!", I say "yes, ma'am" (because she's from Texas and you address all Texas ladies as "ma'am" or they will whup your ass).

I skipped my usual denim for Casual Friday and played with texture instead, with this Amazing New Shirt:
The greens are a little washed out there (with the change of seasons, my lighting in the den changes). Trust me, they are a lovely heathery green.

I fell in love with this shirt the minute I saw it in the consignment store. Thank god it fit!

I am a majorly detail-oriented person, so this shirt fed my passion. Back details:
Inigo approves of the patent red boots.

Look at these fabulous details:

Two different complimentary trim patterns (sleeve and that's the hem flipped up on the left side), embroidered flowers, pretty trim at the back of the neck, flowers on one side of the collar!

Pretty flower on the snap!

Adorable zig-zag stitching on the puff sleeves...with rivets! Rivets everywhere!

And on the back...

I am Queen of Faeries! This shirt is like an orgasm of details. It goes to 11.

I was quite pleased with all my accessories, especially the red boots (there's also a reddy-pink cami under the shirt that peeked out). Some guy on the bus said, "Nice boots!" What is it about compliments from strangers? They always feel so good.

(Resolves to compliment strangers more, and pass along the good karma).

The stuff:

My awesome cowboys/fair maiden belt buckle and the pee bracelet.

Shirt (no label, consignment), cami (Jacob, gift from Ruth), skirt (unknown brand, thrifted), boots (Aldo), belt/buckle (Shi Studio), bracelet (thrifted).

Floral Legs

More of my weekend shopping loot! Today, it's this new ultra-thin silk and cashmere sweater ($18), a necklace and ring from the $10 grab bag, and these crazy-ass tights:
Can you believe people actually thought that a) those were tattoos and b) I had painted the roses on my legs? Uh, yeah.

I really like the sleeves on the top - this is the pink top I've been looking for for ages!

The ring is a nice simple hunk of shiny, and the necklace will be good layered with some pearls or something.

The stuff:

Those ar the tights at the bottom so you can see that they have a bit of purple in them. Of course, I had to do purple shoes!

Sweater (Esprit, consignment), skirt (Kensie), tights (Hue), shoes (Friis and Co., gift from L), necklace/ring (consignment), earrings (Aldo Accessories).

Topless at Work

As you may or may not know, I'm not dressed for work when I leave the house in the morning. I pack my clothes, shoes and accessories into my backpack, along with my lunch, and I walk 40 minutes in my workout clothes (the parka has been packed away for winter, as has the toque and scarf). I change at work.

In the three plus years that I have been packing my clothes and hoofing it to work, I have never forgotten anything.

Until today:

I forgot the top half of my outfit. That is my smelly, sweaty Mountain Equipment Co-op navy top. I wore it all day with my lovely new wool vintage 80s plaid skirt that I thrifted on the weekend.

So yeah, it was kind of a crappy day. I felt really stupid. Surprisingly, not too many people noticed, since the dark colour in the skirt is actually navy.

And it could have been worse. I was *this* close to wearing this workout top:

Oh, yeah, rocking my Alice Cooper shirt! But I like to wear that one around the house so I saved it, and next pulled out this one:

Now THAT would have been a fashion disaster! Not a very flattering top to begin with.

And my brand-new nylons did a massive run right up the back of my leg...after only 1 wear! Arg!

At least we have stuff. Sweet, sweet stuff:

My awesome thrifted shoes ($13.95), my $14.95 thrifted new skirt, and the silver feather charm from the $10 grab bag.

I fell in love with the mix of colours in the plaid: red, navy and brown, as well as the classic pencil skirt cut with a high waist. It's 100% wool and in amazing condition. I'd guess it's early 80s, so vintage (god, that makes me feel old).

A close-up of the charm:

It was on a really ugly bigass necklace along with a noisy locket and a filigree square (which I also salvaged) - got out the needlenose pliers and voila! Two new charms.

In case you were wondering, this is what I meant to wear today:Ta-dah!

Jacket (Pelican Cove, consignment), cami (Esprit), skirt (Casual Corner & Co., thrifted, early 80s vintage), shoes (Towne Shoes, thrifted).

Schlumpy Vest

So. This is the vest I got while out shopping on Friday night:
I love the button detailing on the front, the nice soft heathered grey colour.

But what I don't love...it's linen. And after wearing it all day, it got very schlumpy bumpy lumpy in the middle. Ugh.

I need a vest that is of stiffer fabric and construction. Sorry, linen vest, you're going to go live with someone who will appreciate your unique appeal: Ruth!

On the plus side, I forgot how well these pants fit! Awesome length for a 3" heel, too.

The stuff: The blue shoes make another appearance (not even 2 weeks has gone by!). What the heck did I do before I got cobalt blue shoes? Good golly.

The bigass white cuff is from the $10 grab bag.

A close-up of the rings:

The left one I'd totally forgotten about!

Vest (Kensie), blouse (French Connection, consignment), pants (Calvin Klein, consignment), shoes (Feet First), ring (Nine West), blue stone ring (Scotland, handmade), earrings (Plum), cuff (consignment).