Dec 21st & 22nd - Outfits #21 & 22 - The Last of the Shopping and Out and About

Greetings! 

Unlike many of you, I'll still be blogging away over the next week - I've still got days of work, the December capsule recap post, and Major Awards to bestow! You didn't forget about the Major Awards, did you? This year will be the 5th year I've given them out - they spotlight my favourite new (or new-to-me) blogs or websites that I've enjoyed this year. I'm also going to re-highlight some of the blogs/sites that are still in existence (sadly, many of my blogfriends don't always stick around). 

Anyway, I'm here. And I had my Friday off, which was lovely. L and I walked to town and met up with our friends Spence and Kim (and their two daughters), who are over from Vancouver for the hols. We went for lunch, and then I had a nice leisurely shop for the stocking stuffers for L. 

I've been wanting to go "ruffle overboard" since I got this awesome blouse. I've worn it twice with the floofy hem tucked in, last time here with these same ruffly boots. It felt good to unleash the floof!

The vest keeps everything locked and loaded - and is also necessary because the blouse is completely see-through! I last wore the vest here the first time I wore the blouse.

The skirt is my pleated black one that I last wore here with purple and teal.

It swirled about most satisfactorily.

And yes, I did wear these boots to walk to town, shop for 4 hours, and to walk home! I love Fluevogs!

Of course, most people didn't see me in my outfit, because I was outside. Duh. This is mostly what people saw.

My amazing Obakki coat (last seen here), my dark red leather obi, and my long leather gloves.

And when it got windy, I added my pink fuzzy faux fur tube scarf and my pink toque.

I like small non-bulky outerwear pieces that I can shove into a bag when I get into a store. Then I can properly shop!

The stuff:

All pretty shades of red!

I delved into my small collection of Christmassy jewelry.

The top pin is by Avon - I think L's Grandma W gave it to me several years ago - and I wore it on the toque. The big tree pin (worn on my coat's lapel) was given to me by my former boss when I worked in a year-round Christmas store. She was a wonderful lady. The earrings are a set that I bought in NYC at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2002. They are based on various circular shapes throughout the museum's collection, like a compass point. I also have a charm bracelet that matches, with all different shapes on it, but it's too stabby to wear with a coat and gloves. Those points are sharp!

Coat (Obakki, thrifted), leather obi (gift from L, locally-made), hat (Delux, thrifted), gloves (Club Monaco, consignment), tube scarf (thrifted), vest (Le Chateau, thrifted), blouse (J. Peterman, thrifted), skirt (London Fog, thrifted), boots (Velazquez Baroques, Fluevog).

I did buy a few things for myself while I was out...I know, I was bad. But as I said to L, he wouldn't have bought any of these things for me! Anyway, they're further down if you care to read on.

Today, L and I met up with our friends Nick and Karen, and Chris and Alison, at our favourite diner for brunch. After that, we picked up ingredients for turkey sausage chili (yum, it's cooking right now and the whole house smells of it) and we bought tissue and wrapping paper.

I didn't try too hard with this outfit - all super-comfy drapey stuff! These fabulous boots are getting a lot of wear - I last wore both them and this black cardi here, just a few days ago with sequins.

I layered my black fluffy underskirt with my silk chair skirt - I had to have something to pin the waistband to! I last wore the skirt two ways here, for work and a theatre outing.

I last wore the red velvet top with burgundy shoes, here. The belt is by Shi Studio, purchased about 4 years ago, and although you can't see them, I'm wearing a bracelet and earrings by Myka. I love wearing locally-made accessories - it's like wearing a piece of art!

Cardigan (Kensie), top (ACW, consignment), skirt (Smoking Lily, consignment), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevog), belt (Shi Studio), bracelet/earrings (Myka, gift from L).

Okay, this is the stuff I bought.

I found this amazing summer dress on deep discount on a clearance rack at a boutique. It's by Bodybag By Jude, and is handmade in Montreal - I have another dress by them, this one that I bought cheapy on consignment. This was bought new and was $80.00. After shopping thrift and consignment for so long, it's hard to pay regular retail, but I don't mind spending more on Canadian-made items.

It's called the Origami Dress and it's cotton with a bit of lycra. The front of the bodice is intricately folded, and it has pockets!

It's one of those dresses that looks better on the body than the hanger

The back of the hem is longer than the front, and it has a few deep pleats that give it a bustle effect. It can be worn strapless or with the halter strap.  I'm thinking that I might have the sash sewn as halter straps to be tied at the back of the neck, and I'll add my own belt. Self-belts are the devil!

I also found this wonderful Danier Leather black dress in a thrift store for $22.99.

I wouldn't wear it plain like this, of course! In one of the stores I visited, the clerk was wearing a black dress with a menswear-style shirt and tie under it, with a blazer over that - it was a fabulous look! I'd like to try it with this dress.

One of my favourite downtown consignment stores, Regalia Boutique, moved from Fan Tan Alley to the trendy shopping block in the Old Town district - it's way bigger and they had so many amazing items. I got L a little something there, and found this vintage handmade blouse there.

It's cream lace (not stretchy) and has this floral pattern printed over it. I've flipped up one of the "butterfly" sleeves to show the lace better. This is a beautifully made blouse - it's fully lined and all hand-sewn. It was $25.00. I think it's probably from the early 60s.

I also found this blouse - also vintage, also handmade.

I feel very fortunate when I find fitted vintage pieces that actually fit my body! This is made of silk shantung, and it's covered with these little rhinestones. It's a deep golden olive colour.

The neckline is really unusual. I also like that this has a metal zipper - I think that detail makes this from the 50s. This blouse was $12.99.

I fell in love with this sweet little silk scarf.

It was $7.99. I like the red stumps with the green leaves and the weird little birds and butterflies. And what is that haystack thing?

My biggest score of the day, though, the thing that made my pulse go thumping, were these shoes.

I have admired the plastic Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + melissa shoes on other people (notably, Megan at The Fashionable Bureaucrat), but have traumatic memories of the plastic "jelly shoes" of the 80s. I had a pair of blue pearlized pumps that destroyed my feet (and yet, I wore them until the plastic wore out!), so although I fell in love with these, I was cautious.

But they are actually not that high! And they feel pretty good on! And don't you love the big bronze heart on the toe?

This pair has never been worn out of doors. I found them in the 50% section for $43.00. Score! These sell for over $200 new.

They are just so girly.

The shape of the shoe is called the Dragon Lady. Love it!

I spent this afternoon wrapping all my Christmas gifts for L, Mom and my nieces - I had the "log" channel on to make it feel like a warm fire was on! Hope your weekend is warm and cozy!