Wednesday, July 15, 2020

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.

30 comments:

  1. So glad you rescued this -- it could be my favorite of all your garments. You look amazing in it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks, Cynthia! This is why I'm never hasty with actually giving away the stuff from the giveaway pile!

      Delete
  2. Hello, Mr Squirrel! What a cute photo.
    That skirt is such fun, I love the hemline and with that red lace top it's got a real 1920s Flapper vibe going on. Well done on wearing heels, 90% of your work life on your feet is a killer (I speak from experience!)
    Karen's turquoise rings is gorgeous! xxx

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    1. Thanks, Vix! Oh, gosh, no - I've been 90% at my desk lately, the total opposite! I have worked 100% on my feet in retail, though, so I've been there!

      It is, I love wearing it.

      Delete
  3. Thank goodness you review your give away pile! I really like those earrings made in India. Lise

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    1. Thanks, Lise! I bought the earrings back in 2009, I think! So long ago.

      Delete
  4. woww, this is such a fab skirt (with a fab name too! ;DD) and I'm glad you rescued it and wore it immediately!. It looks really gorgeous with your red top and shoes (Red Rocks!), love that the top has this beautiful geometric motive, it makes a difference!. And I'm also amazed that it was (still) not worn with your turquoise shoes (I'm a huge fan of them!).
    besos

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    Replies
    1. Thank you - I do enjoy a bit of cheekiness, hee hee. I'm so glad I pulled it out, and it did make me feel good to wear it. I love the red too. I know, I totally have to wear it with the aqua shoes! Shame on me.

      Delete
  5. I'm glad you kept the skirt - it's such a special statement piece and you wear it so well :)

    I was talking to a colleague overseas today and he is back in the office - he was missing the interaction so applied to be one of the people returning to work. I think that we are not at that stage yet, although my company has began to offer a return to the office as a solution for people who are having issues working from home safely. (There have been a lot of issues with people not having their home space setup correctly to minimise strains etc). I've been working from home once a week for years so I'm pretty happy to keep doing it and I enjoy not needing to use public transport!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Me too, Mica. It's okay to have a piece that only gets worn once in a while when it's this special.

      I really miss seeing people every day - it's such a huge part of my job. We've also had issues with ergonomics with folks working at home, so a lot will probably stay there until they are mandated to return (eventually?). Glad you have a solution that works for you.

      Delete
  6. Okay this is one of my favorite outfits of yours. I just love the texture of the top and the bottom of the skirt. Spot on!

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  7. Hi Sheila, your outfit today is a match made in heaven! the circles in the blouse and the hemline of the skirt ahh so pretty. I love that you have a formula for days that you feel a little less like thinking. I wore a dress yesterday completely not me yest. and the hubbby loved it. Shazx

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    1. Thank you so much, Shaz! I rely on my formula outfits! How fun! I did the same - I wore a short dress and my husband was thrilled. Ha!

      Delete
  8. I think I would have gone with red too, it looks utterly amazing with that gorgeous skirt. What a relief you decided to keep it. I'm trying to imagine the matching vest, by the way, and I think it was very wise you only bought the skirt. Well done on assembling no less than eight outfits! I used to do that for a whole working week with some to spare so that I had a choice. But now that I'm only working 2 days, I don't really see the point. Spotting that squirrel would have totally made my day! xxx

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    1. Thanks, Ann! I'm glad too - what was I thinking? But I did the right thing by passing on the vest. Making outfits felt creative - I needed it.

      I'm always happy when I see some animals. I'm fond of the squirrels.

      Delete
  9. Absolutely fabulous outfit! It is a terrific skirt and looks wonderful on you.
    xxxx

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  10. oh there's the skirt!!! it's insanely gorgeous!
    xo Eva
    www.StyleMyThrift.com

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  11. I can't believe it was ever in the give away pile - what were you thinking? It is such a beautiful piece and it looks spectacular with the red.

    I have never seen a sleeping squirrel. Not once. Not ever. That is so cool. All the squirrels in my neighbourhood are constantly on the move and are endlessly chattering. It seems that even the wildlife is more laid back in BC!

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    1. I call it a brain fart, Nana!

      Wow, I didn't think that was a rare thing. Ha!

      Delete
  12. Ha ha, so I never will use that term ever... Gorgeous skirt. Wonder how it will look like with blue. But that red is stunning on it , and the shoes are stunning.

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    1. Never say never, Nancy! Thanks, I'll have to watch for a blue top, good idea.

      Delete
  13. This is such a beautiful styling. The red and white skirt is such a statement piece and I love the red top and heels you have paired it with.

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  14. I'm so glad you rescued the Lady Garden skirt (and I would have loved to have seen a photo of the matching vest!) as it is such a unique piece, and even if it's only worn a few times, it deserves the space in your closet.

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    1. Me too - what was I thinking?? I wish I'd had a camera with me when I bought to to capture the vest's glory! I agree, the skirt is a keeper.

      Delete
  15. Yet another rescue, a good choice to keep it and you have gotten a good cpw. I think India is a good guess of place of manufacture.
    This skirt will still get a lot of wear!

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