Thursday, November 29, 2018

Chartreuse Cheater Again?

Yes! I am totally wearing this dress again - right away! 
 I spent 4 hours wearing it in a dark restaurant the first time, so why the heck not?


  • Dress - Phoebe Couture, thrifted; first worn here (2nd outfit) last Friday for dinner out with Tammy
  • Shoes - Big Presence Desmond, Fluevog; last seen here (4th outfit) for a late September Vancouver wedding
  • Coat (below) - Stop Staring!, thrifted; last worn here earlier this month


Most people at both works said they liked my "skirt' - nuh-uh! It's a "cheater": this is all one piece.
 I switched up my accessories, did my hair differently, and voila! All new outfit.

It's the structured version of the "jammy" dress. I love the rich chartreuse silk skirt part.
"Did you say jam? Is it time for food?"

Vizzini was lurking around. The top of this dress is a bit of a cat fur magnet, I found out.

Outerwear - I changed that up too, although I prefer the Burberry leather jacket overall.
 It's getting colder out, so a bigger (and warmer) coat was needed. I went colourful with my accoutrements: purple, pink and orange!


  • Beret - thrifted
  • Fur scarf - thrifted
  • Leather gloves - Danier Leather


The stuff:
 These shoes are so shiny! My feet are tired after a long day, though.

Gold bling:
 I built the outfit around the "sunflower" earrings. They were not too heavy, but they did swing a lot. I liked the statement they made with the black top.


  • Earrings - vintage fair, purchased here for $2.00 - first wearing
  • Bracelet - Lia Sophia, thrifted
  • Amber ring - c. 1996
  • Amethyst ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's


I'll be back on Sunday - this is my last peaceful weekend before the holidays, so I'm making the...least...of it! I plan to lay low.
"Hello to all my fans. Please admire my fine moustache."

There might even be some kitty-cuddling in there! Happy weekend, my friends.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Copper and Green Rabbits

Still working through my new-to-me purchases and creating new outfits from older things in my wardrobe. That's one of my great pleasures in my life: playing in my closet and making outfits.
 This look was built around the shoes, but it features one of my favourite vintage pieces.


  • Top - Gorgeous, consignment; last seen here in January for a corporate classy look
  • Skirt - Kay Unger, thrifted; last worn here (2nd outfit) in October with burgundy and leopard
  • Shoes - Chie Mihara, consignment; purchased here for $88.00
  • Leather trenchcoat (below) - vintage 70s, thrifted; last worn here last weekend


The true colour of this magnificent brocade top is somewhere between that Hallowe'en orange above, and this light orange below. It is roses, woven in orange, cream and taupe/olive. Here's a good close-up of it from when I first purchased it (for $10.00!).
 You can also see the green rabbit fur trim around the neckline in that picture. It's from green rabbits, I told my coworkers.

"Really?" they said. People sometimes don't get my jokes.

The top is really fitted and has zero stretch, so my arms and reach are limited. It does force me to sit up straight and have better posture, though. It zips from the bottom hem to the middle of my upper back - it's tricky to get on and off! I hope I never get trapped in it.
 I love this bronze metallic skirt - it's leather! Along with a Black Skirt Addiction, I also have Tendencies Towards Brown Skirts. I should form a support group.

Outerwear - I was undercover in my vintage fedora. It was just starting to rain as I got home tonight.
 This is my first wearing of this faux fur leopard scarf that I picked up at Sarah's baby shower clothing swap (here) - it's Vero's (hi, honey!). My friends end up with my clothes, and I end up with theirs - it's the circle of second-hand clothes.


  • Hat - Edward Mann, vintage, thrifted
  • Scarf - clothing swap
  • Gloves - Parkhurst


The stuff:
 These shoes were marvelous to wear, I am very happy to report. Their previous owner thoughtfully put a rubber sole on the toe part, which made them ideal for the office. That platform made for a very stable shoe. They were super-shiny under our bright lights - they had many admirers.

Copper bling:
I love wearing my vintage copper pieces. So pretty.


  • Bracelet/earrings set - Renoir, vintage 60s, vintage fair
  • Bracelet - Renoir, vintage 60s, thrifted

And now I'm going to go play in my closet. 

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Urban Camo and Platform Shoes

Today was a busy, busy day - I decorated my office for Christmas. I built my outfit knowing that's what I'd be doing.
 One of my best cost-per-wear thrifted items ever, has been this dress. We'll see if the shoes ever catch up!


  • Dress - Dept, thrifted; last worn here in January (same belt and slip!)
  • Shoes - Fly London, thrifted; purchased here for $42.95
  • Coat (below) - Denny Rose, consignment; last seen here in April


I've had this dress since October 2014 (flashback here!) where I paid $8.00 for it, and have worn it ten times (including this time) - I'm down to 80 cents per wear.
The dress is a polyester crepe and is quite light, but because it's polyester, it retains body heat.  Translation for "I sweat in it" - which I totally did. Into the wash it goes!

The blue lacy bit hanging down at the bottom is my vintage full slip, worn for sweat protection and boobular coverage (as one bends over a lot when one is putting up a tree and dealing with boxes of ornaments).

I also hauled a ton of boxes and banners up to our storage locker on the top floor of our building. I must have climbed the stairs ten times. Sweaty!
 I just love the colours in this dress: black, grey, white, caramel, orange, blue and purple. Such a weird combo, but it works. It's my urban camo.

Outerwear - I forgot about this lovely coat!
 It matches the shoes perfectly!


  • Fur scarf - thrifted
  • Gloves - Cejon, thrifted



The stuff:
 I loved wearing these shoes today. It took me a while to get used to my heel sliding up and down - there is zero elastic on the straps/buckle, and I have small ankles. It resulted in a rocking footstep, which felt great over the course of my busy day. Love that platform!

Simple bling:
I've worn this belt with this dress five times! I'm so creative, ha. But it goes so well!


  • Belt - Fendi, thrifted
  • Leather wrap - Kipling, thrifted
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Mismatched gold hoops - gifts from L

Besides, when you have a Fendi belt - you have to wear it!

Monday, November 26, 2018

Giraffe, Cashmere and Yeti

I built today's outfit around this cashmere skirt - it's got an elastic waistband, so it needs something to cover that. Enter the giraffe sweater.
 I love the bold print of this sweater, but discovered a couple of wee moth-holes wearing it today. Adieu, giraffe sweater!


  • Sweater - Rino Rossi, vintage, thrifted; last seen here in my last outfit of 2017, in late December 2017
  • Skirt - John Laing for N. Peal, vintage, vintage fair; purchased here for $23.95
  • Shoes - Celestial Communication Andromeda, Fluevog; last worn here in February with ginormous pants
  • Coat (below) - Kimchi Blue; last seen here in October



The weather has finally turned, it seems. Cold, rainy, bits of wind here and there. Yuck.
 On the plus side, I did not die of overheating in wool and cashmere today - and that is one thick and warm skirt. I wore a full vintage nylon slip under this for extra smoothing.

Such a lovely skirt! I love the bright red and wore bright red lipstick to match.
 I felt like I was cheating - this felt like pajamas - but it really is a work outfit!

Outerwear - I got a little wacky.
 Yeti time! Hee hee! I was plenty warm.


  • Velvet gloves - Cejon, thrifted; purchased here for $4.95

The stuff: 

 I spent a lot of time running around at work today, so these heels were maybe not the best choice, but I did enjoy wearing them again. That's a 3D-printed heel.

Silver bling:
All real silver, no cheapies here.


  • Earrings - Brenda Schoenfeld, 1992, vintage mall
  • Ring - Soul Flower


And with that...Monday's over!

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Bigass Long Weekend Wrap-Up: Swirls of Colour; Chill Daze; Dressy Dinner; Patchwork Sweater Two Ways; Vero Shopping

Hello, my friends! I am back, and am feeling thoroughly relaxed and rested after my four-day weekend. And what have I been up to? So glad you asked! Grab a cup of tea, and settle in. 
Wednesday seems so long ago! I did a mix of colours to brighten things up - it was a bit of a dreary day.


  • Cardigan - Joseph A, consignment; last see here in October with lemon-lime
  • Top - Topsy Turvy USA, thrifted; purchased here for $3.50
  • Skirt - Dries Van Noten, thrifted; last seen here in April with the teddy sweater
  • Shoes - Poetic Licence; last seen here in May with floral and cashmere
  • Coat (below) - Vassali, consignment; last worn here a week ago


Since this is the first wearing of this new-to-me mesh/nylon top, here's what it looks like without the cardi.
I like to wear tops that tuck into this "pirate" skirt.

You can get a good look at this lovely black skirt's construction.
I love unusual pieces like this - it's why I don't have plain black skirts. Why have plain, when you can have a ruched, sashed, bubble-hemmed Dries Van Noten black skirt?

With the cardi.
Covered up for warmth and swooshiness.

A lot of chartreuse.
Such a good colour.

Hands in pockets.
It's my Friday!

Outerwear - oh yes, we shall do all the colours!
I love picking out the colours in one garment for my accessory colours.


  • Hat - vintage, thrifted
  • Leather gloves - consignment
  • Fur scarf - thrifted


The stuff:
I am still fond of these shoes after all these years - I've had them since January 2012, first seen here. How do you not love fuzzy-dotted Kermit shoes?

Gold bling:
I get a kick out of wearing vintage Givenchy. 

  • Necklace - Givenchy, vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Earrings - thrifted
  • Amethyst ring - Frances Jewellers, c. 1965?, Dad's
  • Crystal ring - Uffizi Gallery gift shop, Florence, Italy


We had our football pool week 11 redraft on Wed night, followed by beers at the pub, and then followed on US Thanksgiving Day Thursday with a full day of football watching. 
Peace out, yo! This is what I wore around the house for a couple of days: my Panthers t-shirt, layered over a Smoking Lily top, my faux leopard jeans, "I'm a Delicate F**king Flower" socks, and my snuggly sheepskin slippers. No make-up, and air-dried hair, and my old (more comfy) glasses.

We had a house full of people on Thursday for football-watching, and I served chili and buns. Vizzini lurked around near us.
"Why are all these people here? Why are you home?"

It took him a day to get used to us being around.
"This mousie shall feel my wrath!"

Such a funny boy.

On Friday, L and I avoided any and all Black Friday activities. Instead, we stayed in, listened to music and read books all day. It was lovely! More days like that.

I had a dinner date on Friday night with my old boss, Tammy - we worked together at Fairweather (a now-defunct women's Canadian mall store) back in 1999-2000. Of course, I had to dress up!
This is my entry for "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style. I even refreshed my hair colour for this!


  • Dress - Phoebe Couture, thrifted; purchased here for $18.75
  • Boots - Libby Smith Bellevue, Fluevog; last worn here in November 2017 with purple and patterns
  • Leather coat (below) - Burberry, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in September in a fabulous shopping outfit


I so rarely do these "cheater" garments, where they look like separate pieces, but are actually a single piece.
I would have preferred just the skirt, and pairing my own top, but there is also something nice and lazy-feeling about just putting on one garment and looking like you did more. I can see the allure.

Slouchy with hands in pockets.
I had planned on taking a cab to the restaurant to meet Tammy, but after waiting for 30 minutes, I canceled it and caught a bus/walked, and made it to town only 15 minutes late.

I look stressed. Where is the cab??
I loved this outfit overall, and since no one really saw me in it, I'll be wearing it or a variation of it again soon.

Tammy and I had an awesome time catching up.
It was a fairly mild night, so I didn't need more than this fabulous leather coat. First wearing of this new-to-me vintage suede purse.


  • Leather gloves - Danier Leather
  • Purse - vintage, purchased here for $5.00


The stuff:
I don't wear these boots too often, but I still love them - I got them here in March 2011, on our anniversary trip to Vancouver - that was our first time in the flagship Fluevog store! Wow, they are nearly 8 years old. They've held up well.

Bronzy bling:
Due to the dress' plain black top, it's perfect for adding a bold necklace or statement earrings.


  • Necklace - Nygard, consignment
  • Amethyst bracelet - vintage 1930s?, Gram S's
  • Earrings - Reiss, vintage 60s, vintage fair
  • Amber ring - C. 1996
  • Amethyst ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's


Vizzini helped me wait for the cab.
"I think I see it!"

No, bud, that's a leaf on the glass.

He was very agitated.
"Nothing escapes my vigilance!"

It was a bit windy, and the leaves get him very excited.
"Squirrel!"

We drew the curtains to calm him down.

On Saturday, L and I did our usual brunch thing at Floyd's.
I felt like being colourful again. Plus it was sunny!


  • Sweater - Artisan de Luxe, consignment; first worn here in October with cream again
  • Skirt - Mackage, thrfted; last seen here in August with autumn leaves
  • Boots - 1883 Lucchesse, consignment; last worn here (3rd outfit) in October for a weekend shop
  • Leather jacket (below) - Danier Leather; last seen here in October


I like to lean against the wall.
Gimme more coffee.

After brunch, I did a small thrift shop and picked up a few things for Winesday on Saturday night.
I enjoyed this sweater so much the last time, I wanted to wear it again right away.

The skirt is a favourite.
Mackage leather skirts are very expensive new - I treasure this one.

Outerwear - bundled up since I don't trust the weather.
Yellow and burgundy/purple go well together. Who knew?


  • Gloves - Parkhurst


The stuff:
Walking and shopping boots! I love these so much.

Silver bling:
Natural materials: leather, wood, silver, steel.


  • Cuff - Rimanchik
  • Earrings - thrifted, Powell River
  • Ring - vintage fair


I went to the WIN Boutique and found a few things.
Black velvet gloves for $4.95.

These have Thinsulate - they are by Cejon.
Wow, I got a deal - Macy's sells these for over $50!

I was sucked in by these cool shoes.
I adore the giant "flatform", the black suede, the brick orange leather, the criss-cross ankle, the tan edging.

They are by Fly London, and are called the "Punch Penn".
I think they have been worn maybe once. There is a slight bit of wear on them.

None on the sole, though.
These were $42.95, which is a little pricey, but I know Fly London shoes start at $200 and up.

I'm excited to wear them!
Soon!

I just fell for this silver sweater.
It's just a cheap acrylic sweater, but it's all brushed with silver. It looks like chainmail.

The brand is Jay Jays, which is apparently an Australian company.
Their site is full of summer stuff right now (it being summer in Australia), but I'm sure this would have been more than $6.95 new.

I see they put their seasons on their tags.
This sweater is from April 2012.

From my shopping expedition, I came home and changed for Winesday. Wait - it's the same sweater! Let's wear it a different way!
I knew Ali's house would be cold, so I layered up.


  • Sweater - Artisan de Luxe, consignment; last seen that morning
  • Skirt - Wei Peng, thrifted; last worn here (5th outfit) at the end of December 2017
  • Boots - Vog Together, Fluevog, consignment; last seen here in August with inappropriate green
  • Leather trenchcoat (below) - last seen here earlier this month



We ate and drank, and laughed.
I changed into my slippers (klassy!), and this down-filled sleeping bag of a skirt kept me snuggly warm all evening.

Hands in pockets!
They'd be better on the side, but I'm not complaining about having pockets.

Outerwear - having been burned by the cab the night before, I walked to town and caught the bus, just as the Santa Claus parade was wrapping up. What a chaotic nightmare!
"Going out again? I do not approve."


I was much relieved to be on the bus and headed out of town.
I can handle any weather!


  • Scarf - gift from Mom
  • Gloves - Parkhurst


The stuff:
These boots are so comfy. I love the stitching.

Gold-toned bling:
I changed all of my accessories (except for the ring).


  • Belt - Leather World
  • Buckle - TopShop, thrifted - first wearing - purchased here for $7.95
  • Bracelet - thrifted
  • Earrings - thrifted
  • Ring - vintage fair


Today, Vero and I went shopping together at My Sister's Closet - she's never been there!
"Not impressed that you're leaving...again."

Vizzini, you have all day with L. You won't even miss me!

I dressed for trying stuff on.
Easy pieces that I feel good in.


  • Top - Gap, thrifted; last worn here (4th outfit) in March for a weekend brunch
  • Skirt - Nygard; last seen here in August with blue and white
  • Shoes - Aerosoles, consignment; last worn here (5th outfit) for a weekend shopping trip earlier this month
  • Leather blazer - Danier Leather, thrifted; last worn here last weekend


I only remembered to put lipstick on for the stair picture, ha!
A mix of blue sparkle, grey embroidery and black sparkle.

All pieces I enjoy.
I liked the shoes much better in this outfit than the last one I wore with them.

Blazered up, although Vero drove us both ways.
It was raining by the time we left! Aw!

The stuff:
 I bought these shoes last time that I was at My Sister's Closet. I love their sparkle.

Simple bling:
 For not catching on clothing.


  • Earrings - Glee
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes


Vero did really well - she got a huge bag of gorgeous items, and was thrilled with everything she found. Yay! I may have found a few things for myself...
 ...including this red tank top. Woo, a tank top, stop the presses!

But it's a viscose top, and is by Club Monaco, so I knew the quality would be A+.
 It was half price (pink tags!) for $6.50, so that's a great deal.

I also bought this black turtleneck top.
 Not my usual kind of purchase, but it's very long (good for tucking in), and it's very thin (good for layering).

And it's sparkly!
 By Jacob, and was $15.98. It's made of lyocell, which I was not familiar with (info here). All the sites I looked at said it was expensive fabric, so I'm happy with my deal.

I fell hard for this amazing cross-body draw-string suede bucket bag.
 It's a deep emerald green suede, with cat-bait tassels. The brown trim is all leather. It's gorgeously made, with heavy-duty studs and grommets. Every bit of it is leather/suede, and the inside is all lined.

It was a pink tag, so half price at $16.50. The only marking in it is this stamped gold vertical bar shape with wings.
 And it's made in the USA, so I imagine it wasn't a cheap bag! Anyone recognize the logo?

Well, I'm off to enjoy my last evening before (ugh) back to work! I hope you had fun reading!