Lady Garden of Delight Skirt Flashback

Hello, my friends! Today we are featuring my rescued wonder: The Lady Garden of Delight Skirt. 

We shall have a wee Flashback on it - wee because I haven't had it too many years, and I only wear it once a year.

• Top - Talbots, thrifted; last worn here in June with a fabulous leopard coat
• Skirt - no label, vintage 80s, thrifted; last seen here in May 2018
• Shoes - Marc; last worn here in May (my very first Flashback is there)

I pretty much have to match a colour in the skirt for the top and shoes, but there are six colours (white, black, red, pink, aqua, gold) in this, so that's still a lot of options.

I went with red again, after spending a good hour yesterday trying things on in my closet. I built about eight outfits, and I'm fully set for the rest of my work-week, as well as the weekend, and I even have outfits ready for work next week. Go, me! I feel better!

In case you are wondering, I am well aware of what "lady garden" means (Wiktionary link here, if you don't), and I love the saucy term as applied to this amazing skirt.

Melanie started it!

I had a lovely chat with my colleague Preeti today about clothes. She agreed with my suspicion that the skirt was made in India - she said her mom embroiders patterns like this on her saris. Cool!

 I have done this top/skirt combo before, as you will see.

I have also done the skirt-shoe combo, but not all three at once. It's totally different!

The stuff:

I did a bit of walking around the office today and my feet are a little tired. I have to build up my foot strength again for heels as my work starts to get ready to bring people back in. I normally do about a quarter of my job on my feet, but it's been closer to 90% desk for the past few months.

Black and gold bling:

My earrings were made in India too, but I bought them at Aldo years ago.

• Leather/chain cuff - local
• Ball cuff - Butler Fifth Avenue Collection - consignment
• Silver/turquoise ring - Taxco, Karen's
• Earrings - Aldo

Flashback! 

I bought the skirt here in October 2016 for $19.99 at the big WIN store. As I'm fond of telling people,
"You should have seen the matching VEST that I didn't buy!" Seriously, it was V-shaped with pointy shoulders, open on the sides, and had the same trim on the waist as this hem. IMAGINE.

I do know the difference between a novelty item and an actual wearable piece of clothing, though. The skirt is totally wearable; that vest, not so much. Do I regret not buying it too (I think it was $24.99)? Slightly...but $25 was too much for me to pay for something that would take up space and I would rarely, if ever, wear.

The skirt is leather (fully-lined), and the designs are appliqued onto the white background - all of the edges are sewn with gold thread.

I love that the red petal shapes hang down below the hemline. They flip-flip when I walk.

I first wore it with right away with a pair of familiar shoes in October 2016.

The most amazing thing about this skirt is that I did not try it on. I carry a measuring tape in my purse (a very handy thing!), so I measured my hips/waist, then the skirt's, and weighed my risk - plus it was only $19.99!

The colours in the skirt are actually really easy for me to match. This is from January 2017 - I still have that leather jacket, but the boots are in the sell/swap at Fluevog when it gets rescheduled...someday.

The only colours I have not done with it (yet) are white, pink and turquoise. I was surprised that I hadn't worn my turquoise Fluevogs with it yet. An oversight!

With black, in August 2017.

I wore those shoes to death!

This top has been the most successful pairing so far - this was in May 2018, and that is the last time I wore it! I did not get to it last year, sadly, and due to that, I put it in the giveaway pile this year.

I have realized the error of my ways, though. I can never part with my Lady Garden of Delight!

Mathy stuff: Including today's outfit, I've worn it 5 times, so my cost-per-wear is $4.00. Not bad for a risk!

Special bonus! I spied from the deck a squirrel sleeping in the Gary Oaks.

"Buzz off, lady."

A nap in the sun sounds like a good plan.