Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Teal and Plaid, Plus Retro Surprises from an OG Blogger

Oh, what a busy, busy day! Our office was teeming with visitors, clients and guests, and that means I was slammed. 
 So glad I planned an easy outfit. This stretch silk top got a lot of love - I mean, look at that glorious colour!


  • Blouse - White House Black Market, consignment; last seen here (5th outfit) in September 2018 for theatre with Mom
  • Trousers - Cartonnier, thrifted; last worn here in September 2018 with teal and rust
  • Shoes - Chie Mihara; last seen here (2nd outfit) in my Ulti outfit in April
  • Coat (below) - Lord & Taylor, thrifted; last worn here on Friday


There was a big fire downtown yesterday; a junky old hotel/nightclub burned down. The air's been very smoky, so our building shut off the HVAC all day yesterday and early this morning...and today was 25 degrees out!
 They finally kicked it on later in the day, but it was really hot in the morning. Into the wash goes my silk blouse!

This was a comfy outfit.
 I like the navy blue of the trousers with the threads of rust/gold and teal in them.

Not sure I will keep them much longer, though - I kind of feel like they've had their time with me.
I wore them 3 times and paid $15.00 for them, so I'm okay with that. And hey, that means another hanger for something else!

Outerwear - I didn't really need the coat, but I also didn't feel like wearing sunblock.
Blurry L, getting ready to go

The stuff:
 I just love these shoes. Get used to them - I'm going to wear them a lot this summer!

Gold bling:
 I love having some really unique pieces and a plain colour to show them off.


  • Necklace - Trifari, vintage 60s, thrifted
  • Bracelet - Butler Fifth Avenue Collection, vintage, consignment
  • Gold hoops - 5th anniversary gift from L
  • Ring - c. 1996


A Retro Surprise! 
All links below are 'cause I love - I got some items free from a friend, with nothing expected in return.

OG blogger Wendy Brandes and I have been friends for ages (close to 10 years) through our blogs - link to hers here. Do you read her? I recommend it. She knows business, US politics, and oodles about fashion and its history, particularly American designers. Plus her own jewelry is drool-worthy - I own a bunch of her rings.

I was enjoying her video (link here - I love Wendy's videos!) about Stephen Burrows (link here to his "about" page), and suggested a few ways she could wear the gold lame (lah-MAY, darlings) toga-style dress that she acquired...and she offered to send it to me as a gift!
WHAT!! It arrived today! So exciting! Look at that! That, my friends, is such a disco dress - can't you see it at Studio 54?

There's the tag. While the label matches up with the Vintage Fashion Guild's 1970s designation (here), that size 6 throws me off.
 Why? Because this dress fits me. If this is from the 70s, then it would be a size 10. A vintage size 6 is more like a modern size 2. I suspect this is from the 80s or 90s...although...the Met in NYC has a jumpsuit by him (size 8) and it's the same fabric, and it's from 1974 - link here. Tricky!

Wendy had expressed confusion about the odd tacking here on the side of the garment.
There's a big gap above it that confused both of us...is it a pocket? A belt pass-through?

...and then I turned the dress inside out!
And removed the safety pin that someone had put there! 

Okay, be kind - I'm totally not wearing the right undergarments, but I wanted to show you the dress on. Whoa, baby!
"I smell cat. New York cat!"
 That black thing is my underwear (sorry, Mom, I'll never be classy). That's one high slit! I see why someone pinned it!

So what if we layered a black leather skirt under it?
 See? That's totally doable. This would look fab with my black leather pants!

Wendy also included a jumpsuit. There's no doubt in my mind that this is from the 70s! Wendy included a note that this was from Shrimpton Couture (link here - 'tis a dangerous site, very tempting!)
 Very 70s colours. I think we have some puce, orange, purple and pink in there, along with white and lavender.
 Very "oriental"-inspired.

Someone cut the belt-loops off. Look at that double-knit polyester! Yeah, baby!
It probably had a belt in the same fabric. I cut those loops off too - no one tells me where my waist is! - so no judgment on whoever owned it before.

I found a remnant of the original label that had been cut off.
 It clearly says "Second Round" right? Ah, Suzanne Carrillo has a dress by this brand in her shop (here). How cool!

Here it is on:
"Bring back the cat dress."
 This is with the zipper in the back (the label here is then on the front).

This is with the zipper in the front (label in the back) - this fits better - and Mom's 70s vintage belt on.
"Tell that other cat lady I approve."
I may have to wear this soon!

Wendy, from one OG blogger to another, you rock. Thank you so much for these wonderful items. I will treasure them and wear them! Ah, how awesome is our little blogging world?

24 comments:

  1. Reading this post reminds me of sitting on a childhood friend's bed while she tells me delicious secrets, we prank call a boy, and eat snacks, all before running home for dinner. You make me giggle. Thanks for the candid try on. Such fun. I've never read your friend's blog before but now I will. (Her post about Dianne Keaton's jeans sold me.) Keep being awesome.

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    1. Aw, I love this comment, Mel-Bee, thank you! Enjoy Wendy - her writing is great.

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    2. Hi, Mel-Bee! I'm all about the wide-leg jeans lately!

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    3. Wide leg jeans are going to be everywhere in a year, mark my words!

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  2. I'm loving your teal and plaid outfit, Sheila, and I'm wondering why you're done with those trousers? But if you're no longer feeling them, then I agree it's time they went to a new home. Wow, that lah-MAY dress, I've never seen anything like it. It just screams 1970s Disco. But that slit IS extremely high istn't? I'm looking forward to seeing how you style it! Had to laugh at the safety pin episode, the number of safety pins I've extracted from vintage clothing ... But you kept the best for last, as that jumpsuit is beyond fabulous. And no, I don't need anyone to tell me where my waist is either! Being vertically challenged, it's just NEVER in the right place! xxx

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    1. Y'know, Ann, they are just tricky to style! The colours...I felt like I've done all I can with them, and although I love the overall vibe of them, they just don't inspire me.

      I know, it's an amazing piece, isn't it? Wendy howled when I told her about the safety pin! The jumpsuit is all kinds of fun.

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  3. How AMAZING that she sent you those two items and they fit like a glove. The lame top with the black skirt has got to be worn outside very soon.. you need to find a party to go to my friend.

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    1. I know, so lucky!! I need a party soon - whatever shall I wear!?

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    2. I was inspired to send them by Sheila's own generosity in recently sending me a jacket I had blogged about longingly in *2010*. Blew me away that she remembered that!

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    3. I've got a memory like a steel trap, I tell ya! (a rusty one!).

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  4. That is a beautiful color. And I love your playfulness. You're cool!

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  5. Ooh la la! You definitely need a skirt if you're going to wear that gold dress outside the house. It's not just the old hotel that's smokin'

    The teal colour of that silk blouse is wonderful.

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    1. Yes, agreed, Mim! It's more of a tunic or a "suggestion" of a dress! Thank you.

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  6. I am SOOOOO happy with how they look on you. I was dying laughing over the safety pin. And, yes, the size 6 is nuts, I would certainly expect it to be a 10 from decades ago, before we got into the vanity sizing. I really love the jumpsuit on you too. Why did it take me this long to think of sending clothes to other fashion lovers that I actually know! I had to be inspired by you and the puffy jacket! Going to get all your lovely pix on my blog too of course!! xoxoxo

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    1. Thanks, Wendy! Me too - it was literally like a lightbulb going on over my head when I found it! The sizing is whack, and totally threw me off.

      I'm so happy that this exchange happened, Wendy! I send stuff off to fellow bloggers every so often - it's so nice to see it going to a good home. Aw, fantastic, grab whatever pics you like. :)

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  7. Love your teal ensemble (one of my favourite colors, and plaid is also a fav color of mine), and those shoes!
    And so fabulous that you got these beautiful pieces from a Blogger friend, and they fit you so nicely and look so Wonderful!. Obviously, the lah-MAY dress looks better as a tunic!, great idea to wear it with pants! (mwhaha, love that 'sorry, Mom, I'll never be classy' comment!!)
    besos

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    1. I know, isn't is awesome that they fit?? I can't wait to wear them soon! Yeah, my mom reads my blog - I know she cringed at that, ha ha!

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  8. That jumpsuit! If we lived closer we could go out in matching outfits.
    Loved seeing the Stephen Burrows label and reading more about him - that asymmetric top is exactly the kind of thing my Mum would have worn circa 1977 with satin harem pants, wobbly metallic mules and a gold headband - only she would have worn it to school parents' evening being the crazy woman she was!! Both are fab gifts from the lovely Wendy.
    You look fab in teal, I know what you mean about not feeling stuff - a couple of my garms have bitten the dust this week, they're okay but I'm not loving them. xxx

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    1. Ooh, wouldn't that be awesome, Vix? I love finding out about new (to me) designers - we are such a great resource for each other! How cool would your Mum have looked? I must try to emulate that outfit!

      Yeah, when you're not feeling 'em, they have to! More things will come...

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  9. Thank you for showing us the toga dress comme ca - so honest of you and brilliantly funny too! The jumpsuit looks fab too. Now that's the kind of girlfriend we all need!

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    1. Ha, yes, I'm so weird! I know, what a sweet thing to do!

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  10. I had a little "SQUEE" when I saw the Stephen Burrows lame tunic and that fab jumpsuit! What awesome gifts from Wendy. I think the tunic would look great layered over some floaty black pants, and the jumpsuit fits you perfectly.

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    1. I KNOW! I was so excited to get them! I love the idea of black flowy pants.

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