Heh, She Said "Pants" Week - Lumberjack and Ballet Flats

This will be brief, because I have just gotten home from my evening WW meeting, I'm starving and a horde of D&Ders are waiting for me to come play. And I'm a fighter, so they need me!

Today's pants (heh) are short pants: I last wore these here (yikes, a year ago!). The jacket is an old stalwart - love the cut, and the shirt is my lumberjack shirt, and it's, well...meh. I think I'm done with it. So into the consignment bag it goes (plus, I need the hangers).

I wanted to wear these cute little ballet flats again: These were awesome for movin' around today.

A close-up: They are real leather, and I am pretty sure they'd never been worn as they are showing marks on the leather portion of the sole from wearing them around. They are stretching out nicely to form to my foot. Not bad for $12.99!

Jacket (Club Monaco, consignment), shirt (Vintage DC Missy, consignment), pants (Noa Noa), shoes (Ingledews).

Heh, She Said "Pants" Week - Windowpane Check

When I wore actual jeans to work last Friday, one of my coworkers commented, with some astonishment, "You're wearing pants!"

I get this reaction a lot - I am really more of a skirt gal than a trouser chick. However, because I've been thinking of doing this for over a year, and I have a short week this week, I am doing Pants Week, or "Heh, She Said Pants Week" because, frankly, the word "pants" is funny.

Today's pants (heh): These are my lovely navy blue windowpane check trousers (last seen here), worn with my new thin summer jacket. It was about $18 on consignment. Normally, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a cheater (you know, like a vest/shirt mixed item), but this doesn't try to look like there's a vest under a jacket; it's just a nice extra detail at the middle.

Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

The outside shot:

I enjoy these pants, although they are rather long, so I always wear heels with them. Flats tomorrow, feet, I promise!

The stuff:

My groovy burgundy shoes (last seen here).

The silver things:

Pretty! Sparkly!

Jacket (Leshop, consignment), sweater (Planet), pants (Esprit), shoes (Towne Shoes, thrifted), cuff (St. Paul's Cathedral gift shop), pin (60s vintage, Pastelli, Grandma J), earrings (don't remember).

Dress Weekend - Spanish Ladies and Much Billowing

I worked all day Saturday: I did a big morning WW meeting (filling in for my gal, Kirsty) that started at 8:30 and ended at 11:00. It was a lovely warm day, so I busted out my Spanish ladies dress from Camden Market:
I last wore it here, last July! I also wore my yellow leather jacket over this (I walked to the meeting).

The pictures really don't do this amazing dress justice:

It's just so cool. I love the pop of yellow/orange with it.

Dress (Lirub), belt (Plum), shoes (Tsubos).

I went shopping for a few hours after, then dashed home and changed a bit for more WW work:

My feet were finally feeling sore by early afternoon, so I slipped into these little leather ballet flates that I'd found on consignment a mere hour earlier. I'll wear them again this week and do some close-ups, but I love the leather tie at the ankle.

I also changed into my red cotton jacket (last seen here) as the weather had warmed up, and walked down to the WW training session. It was awesome to see all of my home area WW leaders and receptionists (hi, Jenn! hi, Kathy! hi, Alyx!). And it was over by 5:00, so I still had my evening to relax.

Jacket (French Connection, thrifted), shoes (Ingledews, consignment).

Today, L and I headed downtown for lunch out at our favourite dinner. It was sunny and we drove with the convertible top down!

I wore this lovely full silk sundress ($22.95 on consignment) that I found on Saturday. It's the softest silk and billows when the wind catches it. The cardigan was last seen here.

I'll do close-ups of the patterns next time I wear it, but they're a mix of slate blue, turquoise, purple and royal blue:

My black sandals again - perfect for walking around town.

The wind kept puffing the dress up:

I felt very pretty and girly in this outfit.

Dress (Le Chateau, consignment), cardigan (Jessica, consignment), cuff (Shi Studios), earrings (local), shoes (Kenneth Cole Reaction, consignment).

Casual Friday - Denim and Leather...Peace!

Ah, Friday! Why does a short week after a long weekend always seem so much more stressful? It's not fair!

I'm showcasing my 70s vibe today:
I found this amazing leather/suede vest at my local consignment store on the weekend. It was $30 (marked down from $49), it has no label and it weighs a ton. Okay, not a ton - maybe a couple of pounds. I love the fit.

I'm also a sucker for leather and suede these days, as you might have noticed. I can't resist a beautiful (and cheap) piece when it's in a consignment store or thrift shop.

These sandals are the last pair that I got in January:
They're Kenneth Cole Reaction (the same line as these ones), they were brand new, but they were only $20. Score! They were super comfy all day - I even walked home from town after my eyebrow wax and my feet don't hurt at all.

I had a very busy day...so...peace, man.

Time to chill.

Some detail on the vest:

I would put this at late 70s/early 80s. Those sections that have the bands of leather are actually really deep pockets. The ties are sewn on at the sides.

The stuff:

That's my lovely multi-coloured blouse (last seen here) and my leather rose cuff. The sandals rule, though - real cork and real leather. Don't you love that fringe?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Vest (no label, consignment), blouse (Nolita, consignment), jeans (Esprit), sandals (Kenneth Cole Reaction, consignment), rose cuff (consignment).

Russian Around

Ha, awful pun, I know.

I feel bad for not commenting on blogs the last couple of days, but Blogger was doing something weird and not letting me log in. I got frustrated and gave up. Anyway, I will get caught up soon!

Today was very rushed - I had to leave work early to get downtown to catch a bus to my hair appointment, then I spent too long in Dots (but wait till you see what I got - it involves polka dots) and missed the freakin' bus! So I had to race home and beg L to drive me. Then after, I had to cab home because my WW boss was calling me to do the download on my meeting evaluation (it went well, thanks for asking).

Today's outfit:
The top is new to me, the red and black plaid shirt with the big ruffle down the front. It's Gap and was $22 on consignment, but I liked it and it fit well. I'm a sucker for a bold pattern!

The skirt was last worn here, and the vintage velvet vest last seen here (and I've worn those velvet pieces together here!). I wore the vest open because I forgot how low on the hips the skirt sits. I didn't mind the sort of lack of shape - I do prefer to have either my top or bottom fitted, though.

The outdoor shot: Legs McGee there. I liked the pale grey with all the red and black for contrast.

The stuff:

These boots remind me of Russian folk costumes. I last wore them here.

The sparkly stuff:

I've gotten so much wear out of this necklace - I love it.

Vest (Surrey Classics, consignment), blouse (Gap, consignment), skirt (Club Monaco), boots (Miz Mooz), necklace & earrings (Jacob).

Return of the Cruise Shoes

So much for Spring! It rained all day today. *sigh*

Ah well, I felt Spring-y in my bright coral skirt:
I first wore it here. This is also my second wearing of the jacket (first seen here) - I was not as happy with the belted look as I thought I would be. I think this belt is too skinny. I felt like I needed some more heft to it.

The outside shot:

Not my most flattering pose, but I happened to notice that my neighbour across the way was watching me, so I skedaddled quickly.

I'm 4 floors up in a semi-enclosed outside stairwell. This is what I look at when I'm sitting on the steps:

Trees (with a glimpse of a castle in the background), the roof of an apartment building, and there in the sliding door, another neighbour.

Today marked the first wearing in 2011 of the shoes I have always called my cruise shoes:

I haven't worn them since August of last year (here) because they don't look right with tights or in cooler weather. They're strictly spring/summer. Despite that, I've worn them a fair bit over the years, though: here, here, here, here, here and here (all the way back to 2008! that's one of my very first outfits!).

The stuff:

I like the straw/woven texture.

Jacket (Alfred Sung Pure, thrifted), top (Trina Turk, consignment), skirt (Rocket, thrifted), belt and earrings (Plum), shoes (Franco Sarto), cuff (Club Monaco).

Leftover Weekend and Back to Work

Ah, the long weekend is over...I did not do much in the way of going out. Mostly we hung out at home with friends.

Until I uploaded my pictures, I had totally forgotten that I did get dressed once!
I walked all over and did some consignment store shopping in this, and also walked to town and met up with friends for drinks.

My polka dot top (last seen here), with a purple cami, my fun cropped jeans from Caro, and my comfy purple sandals (last seen here).

I lounged about outside for a photo:Showing off my "wings"!

Top (Majora, thrifted), cami (InWear), jeans (Jackpot, swap from Caro), shoes (La Canadienne, consignment).

Tuesdays are a little nutty for me, with my double WW meetings. I am having to do low heels due to the amount of walking and bussing I do. I got this t-shirt in a consignment store - I don't think it's ever been worn. It was $16, which seemed okay to me. I love the colour - it's a really rich goldy-khaki shade.

I haven't worn this skirt in ages (last seen here), but it's one of my favourites. Aren't the colours gorgeous? The cardi is one I've had for ages - I mostly wear it in the summer due to the short sleeves (I was chilly today).

Of course I had to wear my yellow jacket over it. There's a little group of ladies I've seen on the bus a few weeks running - they check out my outfit! I gave one of them one of my blog cards, so if you're reading, hi! Thank you for your smile and kind words on a tired-feeling morning.

The stuff: My little kitten heels again (last seen here), and minimal accessories. I don't like having too much going on for my meetings.

My favourite leaf earrings: The top has some neat swirly cut-out shapes, with the same trim on the capped sleeves.

Cardigan (Vero Moda), top (RW & Co., consignment), skirt (Le Chateau), shoes (Enzo Angiolini, thrifted), belt (Gap), earrings (Plum).

Casual Friday - Fluttery Long Skirt

Happy Friday! Woo! It's a long weekend for most Canadians - it's Victoria Day! (It celebrates Queen Victoria's birthday).

One of my coworkers today said, "You just don't do Casual Friday, do you?"
Yeah, no, not so much. This is a new-to-me denim vest that I picked up on consignment last weekend (around $24), from the same store where I found this fabulous new-to-me silk skirt (around $36).

Although I already have a denim vest (this one), this one is quite a bit different; it has a much more casual vibe due to the wash of it. Both vests do have one thing in common, though: lock and load! I love a vest that fits snugly - it just holds everything in.

I may have mentioned (ha!) how much I am in love with maxi skirts right now. I particularly liked all the ragged edges on this one - the hem has fluttery strips that hang down a bit and move around when I walk. I like clothes with motion.
The shoes are new-to-me as well - I got them in January! Today is the first day that I felt it was warm enough to wear such a strappy shoe. I think they were around $59, but the consignment store I got them at had a bunch of them that they were selling off on behalf of a shoe store that was clearing out, so these are actually new shoes.

I wore my trusty boyfriend blazer as my coat in the morning:

I couldn't bear the thought of a heavy coat.

A close-up of the top half:

I wore all my old amethyst jewelry that my Dad gave me for Christmas when I was about 17 years old. The black t-shirt is one of my workout tees - I realized when I got dressed this morning that I don't have a single plain t-shirt that isn't a workout piece!

The outside shots after work:

The skirt was wafting around in the breeze as I plopped down on the stairs.

For some reason, this shot came out much brighter:

I tried to spread the skirt out at bit. This skirt is not as full as my parachute skirt, but still good for taking long strides.

A better look at the sandals:

They are Kenneth Cole Reaction and that's real leather and cork. I love the thick wedge and platform - these were a dream to wear all day (not a bit of rubbing or soreness), and really easy to walk in.

Vest (Part Two, consignment), t-shirt (Sport Mart), skirt (Le Chateau, consignment), jewelry (gift from Dad), shoes (Kenneth Cole Reaction, consignment).

Have a wonderful weekend!

Accessory-Free

I read with interest Sal's recent post on accessory-free outfits. As I noted in the comments, I'm usually a "more is more" kind of person, but I ended up with this outfit without even really trying that hard.
I probably could have done a bracelet or a ring, but aside from a pair of crystal stud earrings, I am not wearing any accessories (I don't count my wedding band).

This skirt is new-to-me, by the way - I picked it up on the weekend for $12 at a thrift shop. It has no label, but it feels like 100% cotton, and it's lined and nice quality, so I feel like I got a bargain. Plus, check out how good my butt looks:

Meow! Also the nice detailing on the back of the jacket (last seen here).

The outdoors shot:

I love the cut of that skirt.

The wind kept poufing up the hem of the skirt:

My hair is bright red again - I dyed it last night.

Back to the accessories, or lack thereof. I made up for it in colour, texture and details in the pieces of this outfit. Check it out:

The ombre and shine in the shoes (last seen here), the pattern and shine in the silk blouse (last seen here), and the eyelet texture of the skirt, all add up to a lot of visual interest.

Then you add in the multiple factors of the jacket:

The gold trim on the shoulders, the silver and gold buttons, the seaming, the pleats around the collar...and let's not forget the puffed shoulder and the puffed arms with tighter cuffs...AND the crinkly yet shiny and a little bit irridescent sheen of the fabric itself! That jacket is texture overload!

Here's a better look at the skirt:

It's actually made of three different eyelet patterns. Isn't that awesome?

Jacket (can't read the label, Camden Market), blouse (Talbot's, consignment), skirt (no label, thrifted), shoes (Qupid).

Maxi Parachute Skirt - and Caught!

The weather is finally (finally!) getting warmer, and my spirits are lifting. However, my hemlines are dropping. How much am I in love with bigass flowy skirts?
As much as that! This is the second wear of my parachute skirt (first seen here). I wanted to see if I could make it work for a business casual work setting.

It was very swooshy as I went about my day.

I can't resist a twirl!

Inigo got into the act:

Oh, stretchy kitty!

The outside shot:

I am laughing my head off because I've finally been caught taking my picture outside by a neighbour. Marianna, who's just moved in, is standing up against the wall there. Ha! She didn't want to spoil my shot - how nice.

One more time!

The cardigan is one of my favourites (last seen here), and as usual I pulled out the red in the cranes into my accessories.

The stuff:

I actually planned this outfit around the shoes because my feet were still sore last night.

Check out this enormous flower:

Isn't it amazing? Not bad for $6.

The jewelry:

Pretties.

Cardigan (Lucky Brand, consignment), cami (Vero Moda), skirt (Cute Options), shoes (Predictions, consignment), belt and bracelet (Plum), earrings (local), ring (Oscar & Libby's).

I can't resist a kitty in the sun:

I like his shadow.