Bigass Long Weekend Wrap-Up: Pank Dress, All Greens, Vintage and Dries, Leather and Lace

Oh, my friends, what a weekend! We in Canada have today/Monday off for Remembrance Day, and this has been just what I needed. It's been a wonderful mix of friends and being out and about, and staying home and getting "me" time.

Are you ready? We have a lot of ground to cover, starting with Thursday. I wore pink. No, we need a new name, as this dress' colour is not adequately described by "pink". 

 It's PANK. So pink, it's pank. New word - you heard it here first!

Linking up to "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style. I was VERY visible in my pank dress!

• Dress - Essentiel Antwerp, consignment; purchased here last weekend for $60.98
• Boots - BCBG Max Azria; last seen here in October with a leather dress
• Coat (below) - Danier Leather, thrifted; last worn here (2nd outfit) for shopping last weekend

I wore this all day for work, then to my WW meeting, and then to a local pub for Book Club (our host had to cancel).

 You can tell by the look on my face that I loved this piece! It was so much fun to wear! Swoosh Factor 10!

I added a polka dot scarf to the elastic holding my hair in a little ponytail. Voila! The look of a bigger ponytail without the hair.

 I like how the back of this dress dips down.

Pockets! And a peek at my pink dotted tights!

 Glimpses of them showed every so often, causing "oohs" of appreciation from my coworkers, WW members and my Book Club babes.

Bundled up for spitty rain and chill.

 One of my sets of fur/leather by Danier. Gosh, I miss that store!

• Hat/scarf/gloves - Danier Leather

The stuff:

 I still need to get new grippers for the soles of these boots. I walked very carefully, since they are slippy! I don't need a broken hip!

Circular bling:

 I forgot to put the scarf in the photo, oops!

• Earrings - 10th anniversary gift from L
• Hematite ring - thrifted
• Crystal ring - Uffizi Gallery gift shop
• Scarf - thrifted

On Friday, I just wanted to be green!

 I tried both of these pieces on together when I bought them, and really liked how they looked. Why not build my first outfit with them together?

• Sweater - Smart Set, consignment; purchased here for $20.98
• Skirt - Benetton, consignment; purchased here for $20.98
• Shoes - Fly London; last seen here in August with pink pants and parachute
• Leather trench - vintage 70s, thrifted; last worn here in March

This is one of those outfits that I loved wearing, but did not like how it looked in the pictures.

What if I just called in sick and went back to bed?

 That's my favourite pictures of it, and I like how you can see all my hand bling.

I wore the sweater with the neckline high in the front, and with a vintage cami under it to help take care of the sheerness, but I think a darker cami next time.

 I love this skirt length, but the long sweater over it made me feel droopy. It didn't look right tucked in, even though the skirt has a nice banded waist.

I did show a substantial portion of my ink! One of my coworkers thought for a second that I had a pattern on the back of my sweater.

 Nope, that's me.

Outerwear - I realized too late that I'd popped a button right at the top of the coat, but didn't have time to switch coats before I left for work.

I love this butter-soft piece - first wearing of it this fall, and I wore it again later this weekend!

• Scarf/gloves - Parkhurst

The stuff:

 Comfy shoes - good for clomping around in the office.

Brassy bling:

 Many sparkly things!

• Faux tortoiseshell bracelet - J. Crew, thrifted
• Brass bracelet - Club Monaco
• Earrings - Weiss, vintage 60s, vintage fair
• Amber ring - c. 1997
• Floral ring - Sarah Coventry, antique store, Powell River

L and I chilled out and played board games until the wee hours, then were up early to meet up with some friends for brunch at Floyd's Diner. I was a little overdressed for a diner!

Doesn't everyone dress up for breakfast? Ha!

This is my entry for November's "Hat Attack!" over at Judith's Style Crone - go see what wondrous creations we're wearing on our heads this month!

• Sweater - Dalkeith, vintage early 60s, thrifted; last seen here in May with a flowy Chloe skirt
• Skirt - Dries van Noten, thrifted; first worn here in September with a statement floral
• Shoes - Truths Makena, Fluevog; first worn here a week ago with a Dries circus skirt
• Coat (below) - Stop Staring!, thrifted; first worn here just a few days ago

In addition to breakfast in a diner, I was also dressed for shopping at the Christmas Vintage Fair with Elaine, followed by a movie ("Dries", a documentary about the designer Dries van Noten, link here for those of you interested), followed by dinner out.

 I had to wear a piece from my Dries van Noten collection, and went with this lovely black satin pirate skirt (named by me because of the sash on the hip). I've collected five pieces by Dries over the past several years, all thrifted/second-hand. I admire his aesthetic and attention to detail - he is also one of the only designers left who hasn't sold his licence and/or name to a huge conglomerate. I can't afford new pieces, but I am always thrilled to find a piece in a thrift store!

I went with my simple green vintage sweater, to show off the hat and my grandmother's necklace.

 I found these seamed stockings in the clearance bin at the Bay recently - they're by Calvin Klein. Unfortunately, my ring snagged them and they laddered down the front of one thigh. Sigh, into the garbage.

Most of my day was spent in my outerwear, so my outfit was built around the coat. Of course, I wore this fabulous vintage-inspired coat again!

 I had many compliments on it, especially at the Vintage Fair.

I happily swooshed it for people.

 Such an elegant piece!

• Gloves - Danier Leather

The stuff:

 I was thrilled to finally wear this lovely polka-dotted straw and feather hat for the first time. I bought it from my friend Tammy's store about a year ago.

The shoes were perfect for a full day of walking around. I even walked home in them from town after dinner!

Vintage bling:

 Only the necklace is vintage, actually. It's jet and rhinestone.

• Hat - Catawumpus, first wear
• Necklace - Grandma J's, vintage 50s
• Brooch - c. 2000, The Bay
• Hematite ring - thrifted
• Snake ring - c. 1986, BC Museum gift shop
• Earrings - thrifted

I wandered around the mall before I met up with Elaine. Aldo always has some fun accessories.

 I limited myself to the blush and black (a pair of each) sheer socks, and the sparkle tights, both $5.00 on sale.

Elaine and I bused to the Vintage Fair, where I immediately snatched up these two pairs of earrings.

 I appreciate the little piece of sheer fabric used to jazz up the card that the earrings are stuck to. The rhinestone/pearl earrings were $10, and the funky green ones were $12.00.

I seem to be amassing a bit of a hematite collection! I only like the round beads - they remind me of black pearls.

 This lovely necklace will look great with my other, longer one. This one has large and small beads alternating. It was $18.00.

I was tickled by the vintage tag on this set of three plastic bangles.

 Never worn, likely from the 60s or 70s. Coro - only a dollar! I used to have similar bangles of Mom's, which have been long gone...somewhere? I think I got rid of them decades ago. Silly me.

I found this amazing Helmut Lang top. Sorry for the blur, but it's all about the drape anyway, right?

 It's a camel-y/taupe-y colour, and feels like silk, but it's a very fine polyester.

Made in the USA, and only $30. It is from 2012 and is called the "Helios" top - it sold for $275 Canadian, so I got a good deal!

 I had a struggle trying this on! I had not planned on buying any clothes! Elaine guarded my purse, bag, coat and helped me manage my hat, thank you! There was a bright blue dress by Helmut Lang as well in the same booth (also for $30), but I couldn't get it over my hips. Aw.

I consoled myself with this bit of craziness.

 Oh, yes, please! Silver lame (lah-MAY, darlings!), ruffles and a whole lotta WOW. I steamed out all the ruffles and this is one very fluffy skirt!

It's by Mondi, made in West Germany, and is a size 40.

 Only $7.95? Yes, yes, yes! Women in Need (WIN) had a full section of their curated vintage items in a giant display at the fair. I'm always happy to give them my money!

 Adding to my collection of partially metal clothing - this skirt is 18% metal.

I also found this amazing blazer, and bought it for L.

 Sorry for the blur, but it was incredibly wrinkled, like it had been in a ball in the bottom of someone's closet for the past 30 years.

It's by Lane Crest of California, and was only $9.95. If it hadn't fit L (which it did), I would have kept if for myself. I might still borrow it. Look at that rich brocade!

 Probably from the early 60s. It has very narrow lapels and is cut quite full in the body.

It had two splits in the back, both of which still were still stitched shut.

"This post is sadly lacking in cat pictures. Let me remedy that."

 I cut those open - much better! The pockets were also still stitched shut, so I opened those too, and found two extra little buttons inside.

Vizzini helped me document my purchases.

"This is my good side."

 He has been very good lately. Makes me wonder what he's up to...

I turned the jacket inside out and steamed the lining, then turned it back right-side-out and did the outside.

 Much better!

The sleeves were about an inch too short for L...and then I noticed that they'd been taken up. So I picked the stitches out, and sewed the extra button on each cuff (which is probably where they were from in the first place). I also sewed the button back on my leather trench coat and another jacket that had loose buttons.

 I steamed out the creased seams - and there you have it. Perfect sleeves.

I had a quiet evening in on Saturday, all to myself (and Mr. Kitty). After a bit of a sleep-in on Sunday morning, L and I headed out to meet up with a bunch of friends for an afternoon of socializing at the Commons pub.

 Easy clothes for sitting, rainy weather, and walking to and from town.

• Top - Express, consignment; first worn here in October with soft cream and pink
• Skirt - Danier, thrifted; last seen here in February with greys
• Boots - Adrian Agnes, Fluevog; last worn here in April with other pops of red
• Leather trench (below) - last worn on Friday, above

I wore a red cami under the top for coverage and to emphasize the pattern of the lace top.

I'm not feeling this skirt so much. I have a lot of brown skirts, and this one doesn't ring my bell anymore.

 I paid $10 for it two years ago, and wore it 5 times. I am good with $2.00 per wear. 

I deliberately planned this outfit so that I could wear this snuggly silk and wooly scarf over it. I vaguely remembered that the Commons is cold - which it was!

 I wore the scarf for nearly the whole afternoon like this.

Draped with my coat and gloves.

 But make no mistake, I bundled up to be out in the weather.

• Scarf - Song of Shanghai, thrifted
• Gloves - Parkhurst

 I also carried my umbrella, but the rain held off.

The stuff:

 These boots are a commitment. They're very tight in the calves - I have to elevate my legs to zip them up! - so I tend to wear them when I don't have to put them on or take them off. The harness pieces around the foot have to be removed to get the boots off and on too.

Copper bling:

 Pretty pieces.

• Copper cuff w/red enamel - Matisse Renoir, vintage 60s, vintage fair
• Cuff - Grandma J's, Renoir, vintage 60s
• Earrings - vintage fair

And now, it's stormy out and the couch calls to me.

"We should take advantage of this time to cuddle."

Agreed, Vizzini! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!