SmallAss Weekend Wrap-Up: Pleather and Houndstooth, and Snaky Dots

We made it! Weekend! There are probably things I should have done this weekend (grocery shopping, going to my niece's soccer game, Christmas shopping).

I didn't do them.

I'm tired. Not of blogging! No worries there - this (*waves vaguely*) is my main creative outlet. Putting outfits together with mindfulness of what I'm doing; looking at the colours and textures, wearing the clothes, seeing how people react to them and me. It's a big social experiment, and I am the mad scientist!

I enjoy the writing aspect, although I've streamlined the "when I last wore it" portion of our program (it's faster for me to look things and do the links all in one go). Sometimes I'm more verbose than other times. As with most of you, I only talk about the surface of my life on my blog. This is no more 100% the real me than the idea you might have about the life of that slightly odd, fashionable lady walking down the street. It's a good facsimile of me, though, at least of my public persona.

My job requires me to be "up" and "on" constantly. I'm very good at turning it on and off, but it's emotionally exhausting (seeing as I'm not an extrovert by nature), and I require a lot of downtime to get my mojo going again. My work has been dominating my life over the past few weeks, since I got back from vacation, but things are easing up...for now. The clothes help me put on a bright and cheery face. "Fake it till you feel it" is one of my mantras.

But enough rambling! The clothes, woman!

• Top - Jeanne Bekker, consignment; purchased here last weekend
• Skirt - Nygard, consignment; last seen here back in February with lemon
• Boots - Miz Mooz; last seen here in February for a blogger tea-time meet-up

I seem to have an affinity for this oxblood/burgundy red lately. It's a good colour on me, and works well as a neutral for popping off jewelry or other vivid textures, like this houndstooth skirt. This is also my second burgundy item that I've purchased that has been made of PVC/pleather. I still don't like the feel of it, but at least it means this sweater is washable.

The skirt is what I think of as one of my "butt" skirts - hee, it does good things for my bum.

My current favourite autumn coat:

I love a long slim coat! The drama of the longer back hem and the velvet mixed with the wool plaid...it just makes me want to stride down the sidewalk with a devil-may-care attitude.

The stuff:

One of my many pairs of red boots - I have a thing for red boots (and shoes!). These are a fabulously girly shape with the folds! and the buttons! and the curvy heel! I also love a narrow ankle on a boot - it's very Victorian.

Big bling:

I got lots of compliments on this necklace (my secret d20s!). Will statement necklaces every stop being a statement?

• Cuff - Midzo, vintage fair
• Necklace - Nygard, consignment
• Spinner ring - Twang & Pearl
• Pinky ring - P. Sarpaneva, vintage 70s
• Quartz ring - Uffizzi Gallery gift shop, Florence

I probably should have gone to bed earlier on Friday night, but L and I were having so much fun playing games, that we stayed up till the wee hours. As a result, I slept in on Saturday.

Gack! Much glariness!

This is my link-up to Patti's "Visible Monday" over at Not Dead Yet Style! Go! Go!

Shade my eyes?

I want to loll in the sun like a cat. Bring me coffee.

• Dress - I'M Isola Marras; last seen here last month in its inaugural wear
• Boots - Ash; last seen here last weekend, with orange

I didn't think I'd be wearing this dress in the fall/winter too much, but it lends itself well as a light daytime piece, as long as I wear appropriate layers underneath.

In this case, it's tights, a black vintage half-slip on the bottom, and a beige vintage camisole on the top.

I wore this for brunch, watching a movie at home and for going to Winesday with the girls.

It's an easy shape to wear, a lovely fabric to touch, and I like mix of dots and vines and abstract patterns with the starkness of the black leather and studs. This is basically a repeat of my first wear of the dress (linked above), but as always, I've changed up a few details here and there.

Same coat, and my burgundy fingerless gloves.

I heart these boots so much. I wish I'd had them for the past 10, 20, 30 years!

The stuff:

These are excellent leaf-kicking boots, by the way. Don't even think about leaving a pile of leaves out there - they're just asking to be strewn about!

Snaky bling:

I wore all my Italy stuff: the ring, the glass snake necklace and the dress. I always have to balance my snake ring on something to photograph it (in this case, the necklace) as it doesn't sit properly.

• Purple cuff - thrifted
• Stud cuff - homegrown vintage 80s
• Necklace - gift from Mom, Venice
• Ring - as above
• Ear cuff/chain - Claire's
• Turquoise stud - local
• Snake ring - homegrown vintage, 1985

And you? Are you in energy mode or recharge mode? I know that US Thanksgiving is around the corner (I'm taking those days off next week). As we head into holiday season, do you do it with excitement or dread, or a bit of both? I'm a bit of both, to be honest.