Weekend Wrap-Up: Team Spirit; Fringe, Friends and a Feast; and Shopping Karma

Happy weekend! I hope everyone's been having a good time. I'm off to make dinner and chill for the evening with L, so here' goes the wrap-up.

Beginning with Friday's outfit. It was Team Spirit day for the stair challenge - the teams will be judged on Monday for prizes. 

Guess what team I'm on! I'm linking up to "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style! Thanks for hosting, Patti!

• Dress - The Limited, thrifted; last worn here in December 2014 in elf mode
• Boots - Adrian Agnes, Fluevog; last worn here (way down) in October 2014 with my bullfighter skirt

The grey top is one of my old layering t-shirts - that's not a style I really do anymore (graphic tee over long-sleeved tee) but I do have a few of them still for wearing around the house. They're just handy! I also knew I'd be doing a lot of stairs again and I don't like getting my good clothes all sweaty.

One of the directors asked me if I had my legs tattooed! Dude, these are tights! Seriously?

Outerwear? Outerthere!

We've been enjoying a very warm spell this week. I didn't even wear the scarf on the way home.

The stuff:

These are magnificent red boots - they are quite stiff and are still loosening up on me, even though I've had them for a couple of years now.

Red bling:

Some old favourites.

• Cuff - Rimanchik
• Spinner ring - consignment
• Coral ring - Oscar & Libby's
• Earrings - Plum

L and I cleaned the house on Friday night and then played Arkham Horror; then on Saturday, we got up early for breakfast.

I wore this all day, well in to the evening.

• Sweater - Coldwater Creek, thrifted; last seen here in October 2014
• Skirt - Animale, consignment; last seen here (3rd outfit) in November 2014 for some shopping
• Shoes - Two Lips, thrifted; last worn here on Christmas Even 2014

A bunch of my Book Club girlfriends came over in the early afternoon on Saturday. I had PVR'd "Olive Kitteridge" when it aired and since we'd read it a few years ago as a Book Club selection, we had a watching marathon! Comfy clothes welcome (including animal slippers, jammies and blankies).

No one quite went that far! Everyone was in their comfy clothes but still very fashionable.

Of course, we did our watching in style, starting with some lovely spicy Caesars:

Yum! Spice those up!

We also had 3 kinds of hot chocolate with complimentary liquors.

Fireball whisky with chili hot chocolate is divine! The other liqueurs are chocolate with salted caramel and Sour Puss raspberry. I did forget to put the marshmallows out - darn!

I air-popped about 6 batches of popcorn, doing some with olive oil only, and some with butter and olive oil mixed - I put them into individual bags so that my gals could top them how they wanted.

I had Canadian Cheddar, dill pickle, Monsoon balti (an Indian curry type of mixed spices), engevita yeast and cracked white pepper.

I also made a delicious chicken jalapeno corn chowder!

Spicy and good for you!

Caro brought over a bag of clothes, so we did a poke through. I got this lovely blouse by Daniel Rainn.

I like the peachy polka dots on the marsala background. I'm not huge on drawstring waists, but I'll play with that a bit, I think.

Today, I went to get groceries - I had to get all the supplies for our Super Bowl party this weekend - and then went for a walk down to My Sister's Closet, my favourite consignment shop in town.

More marsala, and reds!

• Sweater - Bandolino, thrifted; last seen here earlier this month with a cape worn as a skirt
• Skirt - Cory Lyne Calter, consignment; last worn here in June 2014 with bright orange
• Boots - 1883 Lucchesse, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) a couple of weeks ago

 I've worn this sweater and skirt together before (here, when I had blonde hair!).

 I wish I hadn't been lazy and worn these black tights. Brown would have been better.

Outerwear:

I love this leather jacket. I wore it open all day, and barely needed the gloves.

The stuff:

These boots are wonderful. I love them so much!

• Necklace - $10 grab bag, consignment

I was happy to see my favourite friendly saleslady back (she's been working on her Masters degree while teaching school), and we chatted here and there as I shopped. I take my time; I'm usually there for a couple of hours and have 2 or 3 try-on sessions.

Near the end, another customer was having problems finding an outfit, so the saleslady asked me to assist. First, I found a top and cardigan for her to try with a skirt she'd found, then when that didn't work, I found her a lovely deep blue dress that fit her just right. I also offered suggestions for accessorizing it in different ways. It felt so good to help someone who really needed it!

Anyway, my good deed paid off with good shopping karma!

This is a deep green wool blazer. It's by Talbots, and was on the sale rack for $15.00. It's a great fit and very cozy and warm.

This blouse was also on the sale rack, for $11.50.

It's by Peter Nygard, and it's sheer. It's quite likely never been worn, as there was a bag of shoulder pads for it still attached to the label inside. I like this for a breezy spring top - and I have shoes that will go perfectly with it.

This was a really pretty top that fit well. 

It was $19.98 and is by Ann Taylor. 

I really liked the fit of this skirt, by Melanie Lyne. 

It has the black "racing stripe" down both sides and is sewn with a "jeans" top and back pockets. It was $28.98 - it is new with tags still on it.

There were a whole bunch of high-end designer items in the skirts. I tried on a Zac Posen skirt (made on Manhattan Island!) and a vintage Yves St. Laurent leather skirt, but neither of them fit.

I am sure that this is a high-end designer skirt, as the quality is lovely. However, it's been taken in about 3 inches, right up the back, and the tailor has taken the label off. It still has an orange fabric content tag inside, but I can't tell what the brand is.

Dark brown leather - the front zips from the top and the bottom, with little leather pulls on the zipper.

And check it out, the front is pleated!

It's a really sweet skirt. I was given 25% off the regular price on this for my good karma shopping assistance - I didn't ask or expect that, but the saleslady insisted. Aw! Thank you! This was $42.98 less $10.75, so $30.23.

I also had good luck with this high-end designer skirt - it was on the clearance rack for $11.50!

It's 100% silk (even the lining) - the exterior is raw silk, with a lovely nubby woven texture, and the lining is shiny thin silk in a satin finish.

The front has slit pockets and two little flaps on the front, but the back has a big box pleat and dips down slightly.

It reminds me of my recently thrifted Dolce & Gabanna skirt in its construction; it's very different in feel and cut than your standard "off the rack".

Not surprising, since it's Chloe, and made in France.

Look at that gorgeous finishing inside!