Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Jumpsuit and Speckled Shoe Flashback; Friday Black Silk; Pink and Black Flashback, and a Wee Shop; Winesday Gifts

Hello, my friends! Thank you all again so much for bearing with me in my grief from Karen's passing. I so appreciated every one of your comments, and I felt those hugs and good vibes from all over the world. You are amazing - thank you. 

And now, let's get back to what we all enjoy - a nice fashion distraction! I'm still getting dressed, and some of it is pretty funky, including last Thursday's outfit for grocery shopping. 

I do like to look presentable in public, even if it's just grocery shopping. One of the butchers has been very flirty with me lately (L knows!), and he really liked that I was all dressed up.

• Jumpsuit - Zara, consignment; last seen here (3rd outfit) in August 2019 with gold accessories
• Shoes - Matisse; last worn here (5th outfit) in February to see back-to-back movies

This is my 3rd time wearing this jumpsuit and I just love it. Did you notice the big slits up the side of the leg in the stair picture? Swooshy!

I did a bit of a pattern mix with the leopard belt.

And these speckled shoes.

Add a hat, and an olive camisole for coverage.

I'm also fully sunblocked up - it was a lovely sunny day. Good to be outside.

• Hat - thrifted

The stuff:

We're going to do a little Flashback on these comfy shoes shortly.

Minimal bling:

This is the second time I've worn this leopard belt with this jumpsuit. 

• Belt - Talbots, thrifted
• Earrings - consignment

Flashback! 

I bought these shoes new on clearance for $74.00 on a trip to Sidney-by-the-Sea with Cat and Elaine (here) in June 2017. I liked the funky pattern and the cool style of them - I'm always on the lookout for comfy flats too. 

I first wore them right away in July 2017. 

I went full-on matchy, with my old vintage caramel vest (I've had that since 1985, bought it vintage in Vancouver), a shirt and tie, and black culottes, which I miss. I love this outfit.

I discovered quickly that these were comfy as heck.

 In August 2017 - one of my few work outfits with them.

I keep them out all year 'round, because they go so well with everything.

This was in October 2017.

They're great for pattern-mixing - anything with black and white or brown and white just seems to work.

This was in February 2018 - I adore my "dragonscale" skirt.

Many of these are shopping outfits or weekend brunch outfits.

Like this one, from April 2018.

I wore them for the June 2018 Day of Indolence.

 A rare outfit with me in jeans!

Matchy with my long caramel cardi, in August 2018.

Those are my vintage Versace "mom" jeans.

Another shopping outfit, in October 2018. The second appearance of this asymmetrical wool jacket.

I've worn these in the rain a bunch - not too many of my shoes get that treatment.

Another shopping outfit (and the second appearance of my metallic leather Burberry jacket), in December 2018.

The caramel coloured leather on the heel goes so well with any shade of brown.

This is another shopping ensemble, from January 2019.

It's the second appearance of my "bark" skirt too.

Not matching but "going" with a lace duster and my wallpaper pants.

This was a work outfit from February 2019.

Hey, it's a new purse. The black and white daisy pattern pairs well with the black and white speckle of the shoes.

That speckled part is cowhide (it's hairy).

Showing off my new suit in May 2019.

"Colour me unimpressed, Woman."

I do love to pattern mix black and white.

I did it again, plus a little rose-gold and leopard, with this September 2019 outfit.

 That's a work outfit - my gold leather pants are very popular.

A shopping outfit from December 2012.

I'm just wearing a black wooly dress under my puffer coat - the shoes are purely for comfort.

More black and white - this time, houndstooth - plus orange in January 2020.

A perfectly comfortable work outfit.

And here's the last time I wore them, in February 2020.

They pick up the caramel stripe in my plaid pants. 

Including the current outfit, that's 18 wears in 3 years, which is awesome. I'm at $4.11 per wear, and they still have loads of mileage in them! 

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On Friday, I wasn't up for much of an effort in my outfit. In fact, I just went with basic black. 

The timer caught me off guard - I'm all rumpled and didn't even get to the toothy portion of my smile. I only do one picture, though. I have no time for more in the mornings.

• Dress - Strawberry Jill, thrifted; first seen here in June 2019 with fun shoes
• Shoes - Sol Sana; last worn here in April with a floral fail outfit
• Jacket (below) - Burberry, thrifted; last seen here (2nd outfit) for our distanced birthday gathering for Karen in April

This is such a pretty dress, even though I rarely do solid black anything!

It's silk chiffon, light as air.

Even the lining is silk!

I wore a pale pink cami under it.

And a short black slip - I forgot about my little cotton pantaloons that I wore with it last time!

Friday was a crazy-weather day.

I was hit by big fat drops of rain on my muggy walk home after work.

The stuff:

I do not wear velvet shoes in the rain (I wear runners for walking to and from work). These are such a nice soft pink.

Pink and silver bling:

My hair is the main pink accessory!

• Hinged silver cuff - vintage, thrifted, Powell River
• Lattice-work cuff - St. Paul's Cathedral gift shop, London
• Silver dragon bangle - Lazy Susan's
• Pink crystal necklace/earrings - Sherman, vintage 60s, thrifted
• Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower
• Shield ring - Nine West

L and I spent a quiet night in - it had been a rough week, emotionally. We met up with Nick for brunch on Saturday.

More pink! After brunch, we all strolled down to the Fluevog store - they have a big sale on!

• Jacket - Smoking Lily; last seen here (2nd outfit) in April 2019
• Sweater - Sonia Rykiel, consignment; last worn here for Star Wars Day in May
• Skirt - H&M, consignment; last seen here in May 2019 with vintage Versace
• Shoes - Half Truth Veda, Fluevog; last worn here in May with yellow sunflower brollies

As I rushed to get my pictures done, L and Vizzini lurked in the background.

"Are we all going in the hallway?"

I wore the jacket except for our actual brunch.

"Seriously, I would like to go in the hall, Woman."

Nick and I were thrilled that the Huevos Rancheros were back on the menu at Pluto's.

SIGH. Here is L, looking awesome in that should-have-been-mine suede coat that I bought here (pic here).

"What are we looking at? Is there food?"

I roll my eyes at you! Yes, it looks great. Move along.

Jacketed up. I'll have to do a Flashback on this jacket at some point - I've had it for several years. Smoking Lily (a local company) only made four of them.

It is a thin stretch denim in cream, with silver brushed on it - it's very shiny.

I ended up doing a wee shop after Fluevog, which I'll get to shortly, after we do a Flashback on this skirt.

"Are there any cookies in your purse?"

I was really glad I'd worn a jacket, as it got quite chilly and windy in the afternoon. Where is summer?

The stuff:

One day I'll do a Flashback on these shoes, as I've worn them so much they are starting to fall apart (they are another pair I wear in the rain).

Funky bling:

The necklace is looking at you! 

• Belt - BCBG Max Azria, consignment
• Necklace - All Saints, gift from Dominique
• Earrings - thrifted
• Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower
• Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes

Flashback! 

I bought this skirt here in April 2017 at My Sister's Closet (RIP!) for $9.50. I've had a complicated relationship with it in those 3 years. Often, when I don't pay much for an item, I feel more chill about letting it go. This skirt has been offered to a coworker, and has been put in the giveaway pile, and yet it remains in my closet.

Here's my first wearing, in May 2017.

A denim shirt and my same pink Sherman crystal set as the above outfit.

It's a very swooshy skirt, but that black on pink pattern (there is a wee bit of grey-blue on the black portion) means I'm very limited on what goes with it.

I did black and black/silver shoes here in June 2017, and there's my Sherman set again.

When Dominique gave me this necklace, it was the perfect shade of pink.

More black things worn with it in May 2018. That's the same Sonia Rykiel thin sweater as in the current outfit.

In September 2018, I changed it up with a cream sweater.

The pink Sherman crystals again! I really like matching my pinks.

I didn't like this outfit at all at the time, which was in November 2018.

Everything but the skirt was put into the giveaway pile.

But I love this outfit, only a month later in December 2018

Third time with that necklace too.

I wore it last here in May 2019 with those pink crystals again.

And then it languished in my giveaway pile until I fished it out again. 

I do love that it has pockets, and it's easy to wear, but that lack of mix-and-match-ability makes it a little tricky to wear. I think I could easily do a white shirt/tie look with it, so it's more my own lack of imagination than any fault in the skirt. 

Including the current outfit, I've now worn it 8 times, bringing me to barely over a dollar per wear. And I'm keeping it! 

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It might go well with these new Fluevogs I bought! I did plan my outfit thinking these would go with it - I've been stalking these, waiting for them to go on sale. 

These are called the Go Groovy Husymans, and they're on sale for $249.99 (link here 'cause I love!). I actually resisted buying them in pink with red buckles/soles, because I very much need a pair of walkable ankle boots, and I have about 4 pairs of pink shoes. There was a customer even wearing the pink ones in the store, and I was so tempted!

They are a very low heel, noted as 2", but less when you subtract the thick rubber sole - it's more like 1". Very walkable.

The buckles are all adjustable to get the perfect fit over the vamp and up the ankle (there's a zipper on the inner side). The leather is very soft.

"Take an F Trip" on the rubber sole.

"Go Groovy" on the other one.

L also bought a pair of shoes (these ones in red), but they are shipping them over from the Gastown store in Vancouver, so he didn't get them right away.

We ran into L's coworker Nyssa who was surrounded by boxes as she decided which ones to buy herself for her birthday - I think she bought 4 pairs. Now that's a woman after my own heart! Nyssa, drop me a line, we'll go shopping - I know you're reading this!

Speaking of shopping, I gasped out loud when I saw that - YES! - Flavour Upstairs was open! I abandoned L and Nick and spent some time waiting to get in (limit to 6 people in the store at once, hand sanitizing and distancing in effect) and happily browsing.

I found a suit!

Wait, this is more like what it will look like on.

It's a double-breasted wide-wale corduroy in chocolate brown.

It has a slight shoulder pad, plus that short rounded-hip skirt cut just screams "Late 90s!" to me.

It's by B. Bennett for ASL, but I couldn't anything about the company at all.

However it was made in Hong Kong, which tells me it was pre-1997, when Hong Kong went back to China.

It was only $34.99 for both pieces - what a deal. I'm looking forward to wearing this in the fall, probably not together too often, but at least once.

I fell hard for this lovely cerulean blue sweater. It's Carolina Panthers blue!

I love that it is almost a cropped cut - very flattering on me.

It's 100% wool, made in Italy and is by Benetton. I noted to the salesperson (behind her plexiglass barrier) that Benetton used to have a store in Victoria, but I couldn't afford to shop there (it was back in the 80s/90s).

I can afford $29.99, though. This is probably from the 90s too.

Since I was in the neighbourhood, I thought I'd check and see if the Patch was open - and it was! However, I was very disappointed that it was not very well set up for shopping securely: only one small station for hand sanitizer and that was it. Their store is crammed full of stock and I found it very difficult to maintain physical distancing with other customers, much less move around the store. I won't be back until I can browse on a day that isn't Saturday (always the busiest day) and when I have a mask on.

I only took a quick look around, but this gorgeous skirt caught my eye.

That is all embroidery, not a print. It's fully embroidered onto a sheer-ish black woven polyester.

It's much richer in person. Those greens are nearly teal/aqua.

It's so gorgeous, very soft and supple to wear.

The lining is edged with pink.

And it's machine washable??

I'll be washing it on delicate if I really need to. I don't wash skirts very often.

It was not a surprise to see that it was Anthropologie brand Vanessa Virginia - I've found a lot of Anthro at the Patch.

It was $32.95, but I still had some of my Christmas gift card from L, so it ended up being $5.00. 

On Saturday night, I hosted a Winesday gathering. We really needed to be together and talk and cry and laugh and remember all the good times with Karen. I printed full-sized copies of this picture on good quality photo paper, one for everyone in it. 

Click to embiggen

As I noted when I posted one of the colour versions (here) from that Winesday at Marian's, this was taken on Karen's camera, with Sarah and I working out the timer. From left: Sarah, Linda, Cat, Yvonne, Karen, Alison, me, Vero, Nancy, Marian, Caro. 

Karen had given Caro a couple of bags of jewelry - cuffs, pendants and rings - to share with the Winesday Women. We laid them all out, and picked out the pieces that meant something to us, or reminded us of her, or that we just really liked. Everyone got something - she had a ton of accessories, so it's not like I hogged them all.  

I picked these three cuffs. 

The one on the left is unsigned, but it's copper and Karen loved First Nations jewelry (which this is not), and it reminds me of those pieces. The copper/brass cuff is very heavy - I like the weight of it. 

The hinged one is not stamped, but I think it is silver. 

I love the grape/leaf pattern on it. It's quite small (good thing I have really small wrists) and does up with some difficulty by removing and replacing the pin that I've circled.

I chose these three pendants. The turquoise one I'm sure is silver, although it's not stamped.

The fiery piece of Murano glass was a gift from me to Karen, from when I was in Venice a few years ago. I remember her wearing it, so I like having it back - my gift given back to me.

The tree pendant is stamped .925 for Sterling.

I can't read the other marks. I think at least one of the stones is amber.

I took two of her rings - I was the only one who liked the bigass ones.

The turquoise ring isn't stamped but I think it's brass (surrounding the turquoise) and silver.

The green/leafy one had a surprise for me - it's a poison ring!

Oh, I love that.

It's also stamped "Taxco Mexico 925 Sterling" and is signed CBS. Taxco would be the region in Mexico and CBS is the artist.

This was a popular design - I found a lot of pictures online of this same ring with different stones.

I love wearing jewelry that belonged to my mom, my grandmothers and my dad, and now I can add Karen's name to that list. Whenever I wear it, it'll be like a hug from her. What a wonderful gift for her to think of in her last days. We were all so honoured and overwhelmed, and I know I will treasure these pieces.

After an emotional few days, I really needed to just stop.

"Tummy rub time."

My sweet boy always seems to know when I need some kitty therapy.

"That's the spot."

Thanks, Vizzini...and thank you, my friends, for stopping by. Canada Day is tomorrow (Wednesday), so we have a holiday in the middle of the week. I'll be back after my short break. Happy Birthday, Canada!