Sunday, November 3, 2019

Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Monochrome Wines; Silver and Blue Fox; Theatrical Cocoon; Green and Houndstooth Shop

Happy weekend, my friends - let's get right to the outfits, as it's been a busy few days. 

Here's Friday's outfit. I knew I was going to be assembling two floor lamps, and putting together at least one shelf for the office, so I needed clothes I could do physical work in. 
It was cloudy in the morning, so my picture turned out blue. Sure!


  • Cardigan - Jacob, thrifted; last worn here (2nd outfit) in February 2018 for another physical workday
  • Tux blouse - no label, thrifted; last worn here layered under a velvet dress in January 2019
  • Jeans - L'Wren Scott for Banana Republic, thrifted; last seen here (3rd outfit) in June for Book Club
  • Shoes - Napoleoni, thrifted; first worn here in October for my birthday week with Lacroix
  • Coat (below) - Forever 21, thrifted; last seen here in March


I mostly looked like this all day.
All tones of burgundy and wine.

I do enjoy a monochrome look.
I'd forgotten I had this cardigan - I'm shocked that it's been nearly 2 years since I last wore it! Tsk!

I did a front-tuck with the blouse, as the jeans are stretchy and low-rise. There's no way it would stay tucked in while I was building a shelf.
I still have one more shelf to go, so Monday's outfit will also have to be a comfy shelf-assembling-able one as well.

Waiting on the weekend.
I had a haircut after work, and felt quite badass strolling down the street.

Especially with the Grape Ape on!
This is a very snuggly coat (with pockets!). I'd debated keeping it (I only have so many hangers!), but in the end, its faux-furriness won me over, at least for another year.


  • Gloves - Parkhurst


The stuff:
Easy shoes for being on my feet most of the day. They are a very deep wine, almost brown.

Minimal bling:
Just plain gold earrings.


  • Earrings - Biko, consignment


After a much-needed quiet evening of TV and a snoozy cat on my lap, I was up early on Saturday for my Mental Health Walk (a gorgeous, but cold outing), followed by brunch with L at the Ruby.
Ah, sun! I'm happy I can still get away with wearing a light coat as my outerwear. The bright weather is so lovely.


  • Coat - Desigual by Christian Lacroix, consignment; last worn here in April with the jelly-deer and dots
  • Sweater - Gap, thrifted; last seen here in August with a colour-blocked skirt
  • Skirt - Mexx, consignment; last worn here in September with my Iron Maiden concert tee
  • Shoes - Gabor; first seen here in October with a bunch of blah blues


I wanted to wear my snakeskin booties again, so I built the outfit around them.
I only had the jacket off while I was in the restaurant.

But I loved the bright reddy-orange skirt with the grey/black/blue mix.
 We did a few chores after brunch.
Picked up a few groceries.

My outerwear - I adore this coat.
The pattern is all woven, except for the big blue and white circle patterns on the front, which are vinyl and sewn onto the coat.

I tend to wear this with orange and red due to the bits of those colours in the patterns.
 All buttoned up.
I didn't even need a scarf - how awesome.


  • Gloves - Parkhurst
  • Purse - Danier, thrifted


The stuff:
The booties were wonderful for walking to and from town.

Simple bling:
Just a few of my favourite things.


  • Earrings - Tania Gleave, Granville Island
  • Lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes


I spent about an hour reading on the couch when we got home.
"You weren't using your cardigan, so it's mine now."

This is what I get for leaving my wool cardi on the chair.
"You just back away, Woman, it's mine!"

You don't get all my cardigans, Vizzini!

I got a good chunk of my book read, and then had to change - Mom and I were off to the theatre!
Play, ahoy! We went to see "Bang Bang" at the Belfry Theatre - it was an interesting production. Local review here.

This is my entry for "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style! Go!


  • Dress - Romeo Gigli, vintage, consignment; last worn here in January with a set of blue accessories
  • Boots - Lena Parfait Luxury Freeze, Fluevog; last seen here for New Year's Eve 2019
  • Coat (below) - Auckie Sanft, vintage 60s, vintage fair; last worn here over my Diwali outfit a week ago



We went for dinner after at the Fernwood Inn - I remembered how cold it always is in there, so I layered up and wore a snuggly cocoon for the evening.
This dress looks like nothing on the hanger, but it's a genuine Romeo Gigli (excellent article about him here, if you've never heard of him, link 'cause I love).

The top is oversized, and the sleeves are enormously long (by about 8"), on purpose. I am wearing a black tank to cover my bra straps, as the neckline is very wide.
The bottom is a perfect fit. I love being able to change up the belt and shoes to make this a new-looking outfit every time.

Since I chose such funky shoes, my outerwear veered into more pink and pattern.
The Fuzzy Flamingo causes a stir wherever she goes! I had to layer the rainbow leopard scarf with it, and doesn't the purse go well?

All buttoned up and snuggly for the walk to and from the theatre.
I always wear something of hers (or Dad's) when I have a date with Mom - the pin was given to Mom by her landlady when she was a teenage teacher in the early 60s.


  • Gloves - Parkhurst
  • Scarf - thrifted
  • Purse - Mademoiselle by Spencer & Rutherford, vintage mall, gift from L


The stuff:
My boots caused quite a stir - they had a gaggle of admirers during the play's intermission, and the waitress at the pub was very taken with them too. And yes, I walked to and from the theatre in them! They are mostly platform and very comfy to wear. I should wear them more!

Colourific bling:
The accessories make the outfit when the rest is just a grey dress. 

  • Leather obi - locally made, gift from L
  • Flower brooch - Mom's, vintage 60s
  • Tassel earrings - consignment, Vancouver
  • Crystal ring - Uffizi Gallery gift shop, Florence, Italy
  • Amethyst/gold ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's


On Sunday, we had an extra hour's sleep due to Daylight Savings. Off to get groceries, followed by a deep dive at the Patch. 
I'm dressed for trying stuff on. No one saw me like this.


  • Sweater - Tatyana, thrifted; last worn here with linen in June
  • Skirt - Tribal, thrifted; first seen here in May with ruffled shoulders
  • Shoes - Half Truth Tanya, Fluevog; last worn here (2nd outfit) in September with sequins for brunch
  • Coat (below) - Zara, gift from Dominique; last seen here in March


I just wore pieces that would go off and on easily.
I spent about 2.5 hours going through everything in the Patch. It's a huge store, and stuff is just crammed into the racks, so it's exhausting.
Shopping is hard work!
Bundled up in my baby blue cocoon coat.
This coat is a tricky one to wear due to the shape and the short sleeves.


  • Gloves - thrifted
  • Scarf - fake Louis (Lewis?) Vuitton, thrifted


The gloves felt too big on me so I gave them to L when I got home.

The stuff:
Trusty walking/shopping shoes! These are awesome!


  • Earrings - thrifted


Did I have any luck shopping? I sure did! I lucked out on a bunch of blouses, and a few things that made me catch my breath.

First up, a silk and Lycra blouse in hot pink.
It has full sleeves with elastic cuffs. I like the gentle ruffle along the wide V neck - it's very flattering.

It's by Tahari and was $14.95.
 A long-sleeved Tahari blouse like this would retail for about $245.00 US. Score!

I loved the bright tangerine citrus orange of this blouse.
 It also has slightly gathered cuffs.

It's by Zoe & Sam, and was made in the US.
 It's 100% silk and was $16.95. This post from 2012 (here, link 'cause I love) notes that this is a "bogus" designer brand, made in an LA factory, and falsely sold with mark-downs to make it look more chi-chi than it is (I've seen that happen in brick-and-mortar stores too - stuff comes in already marked down). Still, a silk blouse second-hand is better (and probably cheaper) than new.

I fell hard for this beautiful silk tunic-length mauve silk blouse, even though it looks like someone ate a messy meal in it.
It's covered in little food bits. Yuck.

However, it's by Eileen Fisher, and is 100% silk.
And at $19.95 for a 100% silk blouse...

...that's machine washable?
Yeah, I'm in. Especially since this would have cost $250-300 new!

Cashmere sweaters are out in full force in the second hand shops now, and you can find them for $26.00 and up second-hand. This one caught my eye due to the pattern.
What a gorgeous autumn-y pattern of chrysanthemums - this will go with tons in my closet.

It's by Talbots (that label is hanging on by a thread!), and it was $29.95.
 This is the Audrey sweater, and it sells for $169.00 (looks like the pattern changes every year).

I love the soft pinks, wines and browns in this.
So pretty - can't wait to wear this.

I waffled over this skirt, but ultimately, I really wanted another leopard skirt in my wardrobe. It's' a classic piece for me.
 I love the natural-looking pattern - this is a high-waisted cut.

It's by Rena Rowan, and was $19.95.
I've seen this brand around, but have never owned anything by her - here is a link to the Wall Street Journal obituary for her (she died in 2016). What a fascinating lady!

Based on the info in the article, this is probably a vintage late 80s piece (that's a vintage size 10 or modern size 6).
Look at that plush texture - this is so soft and fuzzy and lovely to wear.

I'll be putting away these trousers for summer.
They are a putty-grey colour, and are a high "paper bag" style of waist. They also have pockets.

They are by Lina Kraun, and are handmade in the EU.
They were $22.95, which felt a bit pricey, but they fit me perfectly and they'll be awesome in hot weather.

As you might have guessed from all the wrinkles, they are 100% linen.
 There's no working website for this company, but they have a few things listed on their FB page. Looks like trousers run around $130.00 new.

I can't resist an olive green burnout velvet maxi skirt.
 So it came home with me! This is a bias-cut (meaning: extra swooshy!) silk blend skirt, fully-lined.

It was $19.95 and it's by Banana Republic.
It's likely from the early 00s, and would have been about 10 times that new. I look forward to swooshing about in it!

And lastly, the most expensive item, but the one that really made me catch my breath: a black dress!
"I was not expecting that."

So not like me, but this is a super-fuzzy knitted angora/wool dress. I plan to layer blouses and sweaters under it.

It's Ralph by Ralph Lauren and you can see the nice fuzzy knit a bit better here. It was $49.99, but I love it!
The Vintage Fashion Guild (link here) identifies this as late 90s, and I agree. Compared to the junky Ralph Lauren stuff that you see sold now, this is much higher end designer quality. It was made in Hong Kong, which had a booming manufacturing industry (mostly high-end clothing) for decades until it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

And now, I need to give Mr. Kitty some love.
"I demand that you sit on the couch and let me crawl under your blanket."
I want to do that, so I'm off! I hope you all had a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by.

36 comments:

  1. Ahh, Vizzini is so cute and cheeky.
    I love that you go to the theatre with your mum, it sounds like fun. I would be swooning over your shoes too. X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is a saucy little thing! I love our theatre dates. It was fun for mom to see me get that attention.

      Delete
  2. Yes, cheeky little boy with so much soul, that Vizzini.

    Your wolf sweater is darling, and I neeeed those paper bag-waist trousers! As always, your shopping is a treat for the eyes. I do hand wash all my silk blouses, they hate going to the dry cleaners. Stay stylish and fab, xo

    Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is, Patti! Thanks so much - yes, handwashing silk is way better than drycleaning!

      Delete
  3. Hi Sheila
    Your last coat my mother has one similar you give her an inspiration for her coat!!
    But all your outfits are wonderful, love the Desigual coat!! I think we like the same style of clothes!!
    And nice purchases!!
    xoxo

    marisasclosetblog.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, how cool, Marisa! I hope she wears it!

      Thank you! Yes, I like brights, patterns, colour, texture...interesting things!

      Delete
  4. Yay! The Grape Ape gets to stay! So many delectable outfits to choose from, but my favourite must be the one you wore for Saturday's brunch, which is just perfect in every way. That coat is a true work of art! Your theatre going dress reminds me of one I had back in the 80s, but yours is definitely better quality. Mine was just a cheap thing, but I loved it nevertheless. Oh my, what a haul! My favourites are the bright pink and tangerine blouses and the cashmere jumper. I'd love to see how you style the Ralph Lauren dress! xxx

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I knew you'd be happy about that, Ann! I enjoy my "on the fly" outfits on the weekend, as they have less planning to them. I had a great haul - I'll be wearing the Ralph dress soon!

      Delete
  5. Oh how I love your shoes. These pink ones are so special. I totally understand that they were the talk of the town. Love the green ones too. You created two very good outfits with these shoes.
    Greetje

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  6. I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets about items in her closet. Lol. Those shoes that you wore to the theater are amazing. And I love the Sunday outfit. The cashmere sweater looks fantastic, looks a bit like my pre loved wedding dress from a few weeks ago.

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    Replies
    1. I do, sometimes! Anything that I can see, or things that don't hang, tends to get lost. Thanks, Nancy!

      Delete
  7. Hello sweetie, how delicious you look all dolled up for the theatre. The classy dress finished off with those fabulous boots sums your style up perfectly. Your style is always unpredictable, ever changing and forever inspiring.
    A nice little cache you bagged in your shopping trip my dear. I love the look of that fuzzy leopard print skirt!
    Have a super week x

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Anna! I like the clash of klassy and classy, ha ha!

      I'll be wearing that skirt soon, I'm sure.

      Delete
  8. I always love Vizzini captions! He has such a "Do not give two hoots," facial expression!
    You just astound with me with your outfit gloriousness! You delicious bottle of wine at the top- all so complimentary and luxurious! The amazing draped dress, the stunning vinyl decorated coat, the glorious green sweater1 It is all wonderful1!!x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do too, Kezzie. He is a very expressive boy.

      Thank you so much!

      Delete
  9. Ooooh, the fuzzy leopard print skirt will be a fab addition to your cold-weather wardrobe. I would happily wear several of the outfits in this post; the orange skirt and fox sweater with that super cool coat, the wonderful Romeo Gigli dress (If you ever want to sell the dress, you know where I am!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's my third fuzzy leopard skirt since I started blogging, so what does that tell you? Thank you, that's the highest compliment ever, that you would wear them. I'll keep you in mind for the Gigli dress!

      Delete
  10. When my friend and I used to complain about being tired from shopping, my friend's husband would sarcastically say, "Yeah, shopping is brutal" and it always made me laugh because it's true.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is brutal! You're on your feet, bending or reaching at odd angles, and moving repetitively, as well as carrying weight (clothes) on your arm or hand. I'm always wiped out after a big shop.

      Delete
  11. I envy your ability to do physical labor and STILL look nice. Another super-power!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I just love all of these looks. The first look with printed trousers is both practical and stylish. Great choice to get some work done. The second look with the orange skirt and fox jumper is adorable. Finally, the outfit with the knit dress is simply perfect. You look fabulous in all of these combos!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Ivana! The trousers are flocked, not printed - the design is done in velvet on the them! Thanks again!

      Delete
  13. Lovely outfits!. You totally rock your comfy shelf-assembling-able outfit, I love those burgundy shades, the Grape Ape coat and those cute shoes!. Also lovely comfy booties too and fabulous coat!. Love how the orange skirt enhances the orange details in the coat!, so cool color combo!.
    Totally in love with your cozy grey dress, you make it shine with your fabulous accessorizing!. Those cool boots, the cute pink coat, the bag, everything is so stunning!
    Love your comfy outfit to go shopping, love how your shoes match your top!, and that coat!!
    And you made some fab purchases, those silk shirts, and all the quality pieces!
    besos

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Monica! I love your comments - you are always so enthusiastic! I really appreciate it!

      Delete
  14. Wonderful outfits and I adore that Deigual coat, too! Love all your coats; you always choose such fabulous ones and I love how you name them all - except the Desigual?

    You did do well on your shopping trip. I loved everything you bought. I was surprised at the LBD but I bet it will look stunning on. It's interesting that you call the velvet skirt 'burnout'; we call it Devore here and I have several scarves in this material in all sorts of colours in a box under my bed. Must check them out; I'd almost forgotten I had them!

    I hope Vizzini got under your blanket!
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't name all of my coats, Vronni, just a few. The Desigual one lives in my regular closet, not my coat closet, and most of my lighter coats/jackets/blazers don't have names.

      I do love a LBD once in a while. I'll probably wear it similarly to my other slip-dress styles (Dolce & Gabbana one, leather one), with a blouse layered under it. I've never heard the term Devore! I will have to look that up!

      He totally did, and he was all toasty warm.

      Delete
  15. A cracking round-up of outfits here, Sheila!
    Love how good those blue snake boots look with the fancy coat and the theatre outfit is phenomenal, those shoes are amazing!
    Vizzini is funny, look at that face! xxx

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    1. Thanks, Vix! I love the snakeskin booties, but yes, those theatre boots were the bomb!

      I know, what a little fuzz-meister!

      Delete
  16. I love the Romeo Gigli dress and you look fabulous in the whole outfit!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love those L'Wren Scott jeans. So stylish! I always really liked her designs; it was a shock when she died.

    I hadn't realised Ralph Lauren wasn't so good now - I've never worn any, but given the label's emphasis on tradition and classic styles I always imagined the quality would be top-notch. (It seems like everything's got lower in quality since the 1990s. Don't get me started on flimsy modern jersey fabrics...)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I know, it was so sad!

      You are so right - really, the stuff being made these days is utter garbage. It's just plastic! Vintage Ralph is amazing.

      Delete
  18. OH wow I love all the layers if burgundy in that first look. I can relate to a cardigan not getting much wear as just the other day i realised i barely wear any of mine, maybe i feel they are not trending, I don't know.
    I have to agree on your comment in regards to Ralph Lauren, the quality is poor compared to what they use to be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lorena! Cardis just aren't a thing right now, I guess!

      Oh, the stuff out now is just awful - it's basically fast fashion. The old stuff is amazing quality.

      Delete

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