A Spring Bouquet

I felt very Spring-y today, although the weather did not cooperate. I got soaked when I headed out at noon to go do my Tuesday WW group meeting.

I liked that there are really no neutrals at all in this outfit: I got the top a couple of weekends ago. Normally, I would shy away from Tabi (isn't that an old-lady brand? No offense to old ladies, hee, I'm well on my way!), but I was really attracted to the abstract paint-y look of the pattern. It reminds me of tulips and poppies in the rain. How apropos, considering the weather!

It's a cotton/Lycra blend, and is a wrap cut (my favourite, works great on me). I think it was $14.98. I liked how it looked with this bright purple skirt (first seen here): I've only worn the skirt once because it's not lined and it's also a cotton blend. I did have a bit of hosiery creep with my nude microfishnets today. Most annoying.

I love how this all looks with the bright blue shoes. Stuff:

These are one of my very favourite pairs. Good thing they didn't sustain any damage from the rain.

A close-up:

The pewter rose has a wrist-strap and is made of leather. I bought it in a consignment store for about $15.

Regarding Fluevogs, because I have been blathering about them for a couple of weeks now, the lovely Terri of RAGS against the MACHINE asked me yesterday, "Can you remember how and when you first discovered fluevogs?"

Terri, I can't actually remember NOT being aware of Fluevogs, at least since I was a teen, back in the mid-80s. It was the height of the punk era, and supremely pointy-toed shoes were everywhere, and the brand everyone wanted was Fluevog.

My best friend Lynette and I went to Vancouver, to the original Granville Street store, just after it opened in 1986. We couldn't afford anything (I recall that we ate at McDonald's and I bought this vintage bathrobe - yes, that's me in about 1986-7) except our ferry fare there and back.

I remember walking up Granville (it was pretty scuzzy back in the day, with peep shows and head shops) and then gasping at the window. Flames! Pointy-toed shoes with chains that went from the toes to the ankles (oh, how I wanted those)! They were the most amazing shoes I'd ever seen. The store wasn't open (must have been a Sunday), but we pressed up against the glass exclaiming over the wild styles.

I lost touch with Lynette, I worked for minimum wage for over a decade, had an ex, and then I met L back in 1995. Fluevogs remained unattainable - and not just because only one store sold them in my town. I just couldn't afford them. Then about 5 years ago, when I first got my last job, L and I went to Vancouver for our anniversary, and the first of our annual pilgrimmages to Fluevog was born. L bought me the pair I wore yesterday, and he's been steadily buying them for himself over the years (I think he has 6 or 7 pairs). We always go to the Granville Street store, and every time I remember that very first trip to Fluevog.

Blouse (Tabi, consignment), skirt (Jacob), shoes (Feet First), cuff (consignment), earrings (don't remember).