Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Artners in Crime, Fringed Brunch, Last Stripes, and the Spring/Summer Closet Swap-Out

I wouldn't call this past weekend relaxing per se, but it sure was fun! Thank goodness for a long weekend next week (although I do not get Easter Monday off, boo).

Let's get started - here's my outfit for the Art Gallery event on Friday night!

Linking up to Judith's "Hat Attack!" over at Style Crone. Killer hats! It'll be up soon!

• Dress - Stop Staring!; purchased here last weekend
• Hat - custom-made, Tierre Joline; last seen here for the September 2013 Vintage Expo
• Shoes - Big Presence Desmond, Fluevog; last worn here in February with Lacroix

"I pose like the woman."

I loved wearing this dress! So comfortable and flattering. I had tons of compliments and one lady even recognized the brand. I don't shop online much, but I could be tempted by Stop Staring!

The hat blended into my hair - did you see it?

"I'll meow until she looks."

Vizzini was being a little monster. He doesn't like it when we go out.

"Ignoring you!"

Butt bow! And I always like a chance to show a bit of ink.

It was lightly raining when Elaine and I walked down, so I only wore a thin wool vintage coat.

Tierre, who has made 3 of my hats, was recently featured on Humans of New York here. Isn't that cool? The local paper did an article on her after that, here. I'm so happy for her - she's a lovely person and her hats are amazing!

I've had this vintage 50s swing coat for a couple of decades; it's one of the few things I have from before I met L (which is nearly 20 years ago).

The stuff:

I love mixing yellow and red!

Silver bling:

Instead of going full-on retro, I went a little rock and roll with the accessories, and loaded up with rings and my side-eye-don't-say-anything ear cuff.

• Purse - Accessorize
• Ear cuff - Claire's
• Earrings - local
• Death Star ring - Stone Roses
• Crystal ring - Uffizi Gallery gift shop
• Spinner rings - local
• Bitty ring - local

Vizzini was furious that I wouldn't give him his kitty treats early.

"I am a seething ball of fury!"

I held off until just before Elaine and I left. He was still furious.

The event was tied into the local opera, so they had some performances of opera pieces. I'm not a major fan of opera, but I love the Art Gallery, and I like people-watching.

I'm also rather fond of my "artner in crime", Elaine, who is the most fun person to go to art-related events with!

Three of the leads singing with gusto.

The gentleman on the piano was very entertaining.

Later on, a whole bunch of singers performed on the staircase.

It might have been something from "Madama Butterfly" but I'm really clueless.

There was a demonstration of Kabuki face-painting. While the singers were performing, I saw the make-up artist working through the window of the house.

The Art Gallery is an old mansion that's had a new-ish extension built onto it that houses all the main exhibits.

After that woman's make-up was done, I spotted her posing in front of this large painting.

I liked how the rain blew on the glass.

These two ladies were so fun!

Their face-paint matches their dresses and even the painting!

After a nice sleep-in on Saturday morning, L and I went for brunch.

This is the outfit I saved in case of the leather pants not fitting. I have worn this outfit (jacket and skirt) together before, but I love them so much.

• Jacket - Le Chateau, consignment; last seen here in December 2014, with - you guessed it - this skirt and these boots!
• Skirt - vintage 80s, Pioneer, vintage fair; last worn here in that same outfit as the jacket
• Boots - Indigo by Clark's; last seen here in February with equestrian stuff

I love this skirt - I wanted to see if I needed to keep two vintage aqua suede skirts.

Such great fringe!

And so swooshy!

Yes, of course, I kept it. However, it did get packed away for the spring/summer.

The stuff:

My boots were packed away too - bye, boots!

• Necklace - vintage fair

It's been a little on the rainy side this weekend, but it's warm enough to let Officer Vizzini on the deck.

"The neighbourhood's a shambles! I must patrol!"

He's very agitated by the leaves coming in on the maple trees.

"Wait, is that a bug? Must investigate."

He became very interested in a bug.

"I will eat you, bug!"

The bug looked like it had a stinger, so I killed it. I don't want my kitty to get stung in the mouth.

We had a late night on Saturday - our friends Liz and Nigel came over to play Arkham Horror (their first time). We ended around 1:30am!

Today, L dropped me off in town to get groceries. One last fall/winter outfit for me.

I've resolved to keep the skirt - it's so cool.

• Sweater - Expression, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in December 2014 with red plaid
• Skirt - MNG, consignment; last worn here (2nd outfit) in October 2014 with lots of red
• Boots - Aldo, consignment; last seen here last weekend for our annual trip to Vancouver

Sadly, this cashmere sweater has a hole in one of the sleeves, so I'm downgrading it to "wear around the house" clothes - no more blog for you, sweater.

This is also the last wear of the boots - they have given me several years of good wear, and it's time to replace them.

Everything is better with orange.

I have resolved to stop using the same bag over and over again, and to make more of an effort to change up my purses. I only use about 4 different ones at any given time, but I tend to default to the same 1 or 2.

I might have stopped in at Rich Rags after I got groceries. They might have had a 50% off sale on.

I can't reasonably be expected to NOT buy lime green leather, can I?

This awesome jacket was $65.00.

It's by the Leather Ranch, which was a mall institution all the way through the 80s, 90s and up into the aughts. I loved the smell of the stores, but could never afford anything in them.

Pretty button!

I'll be wearing this as an outerwear piece - it's still going to be rainy all week, so it will be debuted!

All afternoon, I've been cleaning out my closet.

"Hola!"

The "before" picture. I've let it get a little messy, knowing I was going to be cleaning it out soon.

Vizzini always helps.

"Is that food?"

He skedaddles once I get the vacuum out.

These are all the shoes I packed away for the spring and summer. Oh, there are a few missing - they got put into shoe boxes and tucked away in the closet before I took this picture.

These shoes/boots all work best with tights/nylons. Usually my fall/winter shoes and boots are in darker colours too.

Piles of belts, blouses, skirts, jackets and more skirts and jackets.

I did weed out a lot of things that don't "sing" for me anymore. I'm happy to see things got to a good home with my friends.

The winter purses that I barely used, dresses, and the shoes and boots that are going back into the closet. This is before I unpacked all the stuff under the bed; those shoes are ones I've purchased and haven't worn yet (at least 5-6 pairs!), and my yellow and aqua Fluevogs that were in shoeboxes.

I always have a huge tangle of hangers as well. And then I run out of them again!

And time passes...

The finished closet! I'm happy to see lots more colour and bright patterns.

All the shoes! I barely had enough room.

So many fun things that I'd forgotten about! I will be spending some time tonight putting outfits together for the coming week.

I got very ambitious and cleaned my chandelier in the closet.

It was shamefully dusty.

I even ironed a few dresses, blouses and pieces that got very wrinkled in storage.

Don't worry, it will be years before I do ironing again!

Happy Spring!