Weekend Wrap-Up: Spanish Ladies Brunch and Flashback

 Ah, what a nice relaxing weekend. Unlike weekends in the "olden days" (pre-COVID), my adventures now are pretty much limited to brunch, a wee shop, and then boardgames in the evenings. Good times!

Now, let's get 'er started, because we are going to have a Flashback on one of my older dresses, and I know it's a favourite of some of you long-time readers: the Spanish Ladies dress! 

L and I met up with Nick for brunch at Pluto's, then had a stroll down to the record shop. I also popped into a couple of shops and have expanded my mask collection some more. 

• Cardigan - no label, thrifted; not tracked
• Dress - Lirub, Camden Market, London, 2010; last worn here in June 2019 with these same shoes
• Shoes - Aldo, thrifted; last seen here in July for a grocery trip, and some vintage shopping

It rained off and on all night, so things were still feeling damp and sultry this morning. 

Cardigan time! I actually have a pale pink cami on -  it matches my skin tone almost exactly, doesn't it? 

Without the cardi - I only took it off while we brunched. 

I adore this dress - it's a very classic fit-and-flare shape, and I love the nice waistal banding - good to lock everything in place. 

You may have spotted that my hair has a tinge of pink in it - I mixed some darker tint into my conditioner in the shower. Time to change things up a bit! I picked up some purple - I'm feeling like going back to more of a lavender-y shade. 

Showing off my vintage red slip. The dress is only lined in the bodice. 

No one saw that, but I knew it was there!

Must mask up for being in public. I'm giving this mask to L - it doesn't fit my face well. 

• Purse - Banana Republic, consignment

The stuff: 

Two people shouted, "I love your shoes!" at me while I was out. These are fabulously comfy - great for walking. 

Blue bling: 

With a bit of brass and copper. 

• Brass/copper cuff - Karen's
• Blue cuff - thrifted
• Earrings - consignment, Vancouver
• Lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes

I popped into Oscar & Libby's and Lazy Susan's, both locally owned and operated gift shops. They both had a good selection of fun masks. 

The navy floral and the cherries print are "ninja" style, with big scoops under the eyes (I like that). The brown/gold pleated one has a wire for the nose, and fits me perfectly. Those three were from Oscar & Libby's and were $11 and $12 each. I fell hard for the Super women mask - Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl!

But you know I had to get this Star Wars one. It and the Supers one were $12 each. 

I can't wait to say "Freeze, you Rebel scum!" to my coworkers!

Both of those also have wired noses - that's my preference. We're supposed to be wearing boring masks at work (no logos, classic patterns or solids), but screw that! I'm wearing a mask and that's enough.

And now...

Flashback time! 

I bought this wonderful 100% cotton dress in Camden Market, London, in May 2010, from a big stall full of dresses like this, all handmade in England. They were all 95 pounds each (about $165 Canadian now), and had various novelty prints. I remember pickles, refrigerators and cacti. I wasn't able to try it on due to lack of anywhere to do so, so I hoped for the best, held it up and checked the measurements, and bought it. The brand is Lirub which I've never been able to find online (I actually just spotted one sold at a UK Oxfam shop for 19.99 pounds in a "Day of the Dead" theme). 

I first wore it in May 2010, a few days after returning home. A few pics here from our adventures that day - we also did the Tower of London. L, Mom and I spent about 5 days in London, then Mom went off on a walking tour and L and I took the train to Paris for 2 days. It was a fabulous trip; click here, if you'd like to revisit - the posts are newest to oldest, and yes, I've pasted George Clooney's face over L's real face, as I kept his privacy for several years on my blog. 

I got those shoes at Heathrow airport - they are in the consignment pile, as no one I know wears shoes that high anymore! They were pretty precarious. 

Sorry about the fuzziness of these pics - older camera, and I used to size them very small back in the day. 

This was in July 2010. The pattern is various old-timey Hollywood ladies, mostly in Spanish outfits, including one in sort of a cowgirl look. 

This is from May 2011.

I haven't quite mastered the Stair Pose yet! This makes me laugh - so awkward!

Aside from mixing up my accessories - the dress has every colour of the rainbow in it - I've also layered many items under it, mostly camisoles on the top, as it's a deep V-neck. 

In August 2011, I layered a cardigan over it for the first time - it would not be the last! 

Primary colours in May 2012. I was really into cardigans for a few years there, and then did a big cardi purge a few years back (they are creeping back in again).

Those shoes are in Caro's closet now, and I moved the triangular purse along a few years back. 

That same cardi in September 2012 - this was for my 30 For 30 for 12 Challenge, during which I wore the dress 3 times that month.

I forgot I even owned those Fluevogs! They rubbed my heel. 

One of the few times I layered a longer skirt under the dress, also from September 2012. 

I loved those sandals - I wore them until they were so beat up! They went to Italy with me a few years back. 

Only the dress remains from most of these outfits. 

This is also in September 2012. That is one bigass flower.

I still have this blue belt from May 2013 - it's a nice Danier one. The jacket was not right - moved it along.

I miss those blue suede shoes - they were stalwarts in my closet for years. Such a classic shape and colour. 

But I got new blue shoes, shown here in July 2013.

I still have that entire outfit, even the jewelry. 

I wore this to the Vintage Expo in September 2013 - I took the hat off for work. Yvonne has that blazer now.

I tend to wear primary colours with this dress the most: red, yellow and blue. 

This lovely stretch denim jacket was a Smoking Lily one - I gave it to Caro years ago, and she still has it, I think. This was in May 2014.

"I protest the lack of cat pictures in this post, Woman."

Again, layering the longer skirt under it. I like the length of the skirt more now than when I bought it - it felt too long then. Hemlines trends! 

Oh, we have some wacky "weekend hair" going on here in August 2014.

Orange is also a versatile colour for matching. The Kraft Dinner yellow shoes were Tsubos, and I had them for years. 

Let's try a little chartreuse - this outfit is from April 2015.

Not as good a match, although that is close to the colours in the cacti in the pattern.

I often wore this dress to the Ulti field as it was easy to change into my shorts under the skirt, and to just zip it on post-game to be all classy for brunch after. 

This was in August 2015 - those shoes were fabulous (brand is Born), but they didn't stay on my feet very well. 

I still have this tangerine cardigan - this is from April 2016.

My orange Desmonds got worn with this dress multiple times. 

I'm definitely wearing it to the Ulti field here in May 2016 - I spy L putting on his Converse next to our bags of gear. 

Interesting note: I bought this yellow leather jacket the week we got back from our London/Paris trip - it's also 10 years old. 

Another outfit worn to Ulti, in September 2016. 

I still have everything but the shoes. 

Yet another Saturday pre- and post-game look, in May 2017.

I recall that fabulous straw hat collapsed and lost its wire while I was wearing it that day. So annoying! 

Some yellow accessories here in August 2017.

Pretty basic. This dress doesn't need much. 

In May 2018. 

Flat shoes, minimal accessories = Ulti outfit. 

And then here's the last time we saw it, in July 2019, when I actually wore it to work to show off to my colleagues. 

They were appropriately impressed. 

Mathy stuff: I wear this dress 1-2 times a year, only in the spring/summer, so it's not a total shock that I've now worn it (including the current outfit) 23 times! That bring us to $7.17 per wear, which is very good. 

I hope you all enjoyed this little look back at my 10-year-old dress, and that you all had a splendid weekend.