Lunch in Leather, a Wee Shop, and a Tan Boot Flashback

 Today was a lovely day - I strolled to town and got groceries and then met up with my best friend (since 1981!), Janet, for lunch at Earl's downtown. 

That's a good excuse to get dressed up (not that I need one!). I took the opportunity to wear a couple of new-to-me things, and to revisit some favourites. 

• Coat - Gianfranco Ferre, Spring 2003, consignment; last worn here for Star Wars Day in May
• Sweater - Banana Republic, consignment; purchased here for $24.00
• Skirt - Marc O'Polo, thrifted; first worn here in September 2019 with this same coat
• Boots - Matisse, consignment; last seen here in September for Book Club at Craigdarroch Castle

The weather at the time of year often determines what I'm going to wear on any given day, but I knew I'd be pairing this coat and skirt again, and then I thought, "Hmmm, I wonder if I have a new top I could layer with this?"

And lo! I did have one! This pretty pinky-red sweater is a wool blend and is a nice neckline on me. 

It pops nicely off the skirt. 

The skirt is tie-dyed leather - isn't it cool? I stopped in at the Fluevog store after lunch and Rae-Anne was boggled at it (well, the whole outfit, boggled her - it's that kind of outfit!). She was tickled that I'd worn her sweater yesterday. 

This buffalo leather coat is incredible - it's fully trimmed with hundreds of custom-made bronze safety-pins and weighs a ton. 

It's Real Designer! Gianfranco Ferre was the designer for Dior from 1989 to 1996 - this jacket is a runway piece, only a handful of years later in Spring 2003 (picture link here). 

You can see my red sweater through the safety-pins on the back.

Masked up - one of my leopard ones from Lazy Susan's, to keep my neutral palette going. 

As it was quite chilly, and there was a chance of rain, I added a silk scarf at my neck (my tan/brown pony patterned one), and some wooly gloves. 

A cross-body bag for hands-free shopping, and music. Ready to go! 

• Scarf - vintage, vintage fair
• Gloves - Parkhurst
• Purse - Roots, thrifted

The stuff: 

Easy boots for walking. We're going to have a Flashback on these in a bit. 

Neutral bling: 

It's smiling at you! This is the first wearing of the earrings, which match the skirt perfectly.

• Spinner ring - Twang & Pearl
• Amber ring - c. 1996
• Bracelet - J. Crew, thrifted
• Earrings - thrifted; purchased here for $7.95

I treated myself to a wee browse in Flavour Upstairs after lunch. It was quiet so I had time to have a really good poke around. I've been on the lookout for a brown winter hat - although this hat is NOT brown, it looks really good on me (L raved when he saw it). 

It's a dark burgundy which will be just as useful as brown (and I have matching gloves!), and is a thick acrylic plush. It also comes down over my ears for a snuggly fit. 

It's by Principles, a Bay department store line (also carried in Debenhams in the UK), and it would have been around $35.00 new. 

I paid $19.99 happily - I'm going to be wearing this a lot this winter! 

I thought of Vix when I tried on this shirt - it's a peasant style black blouse, and it's going to look fabulous with my bigass spring/summer maxi skirts. 

I know I've been going on about how wide batwing and Dolman sleeves don't look good on me, but check out these sleeves. 

They come up high in the armpit, and they have two rows of elastic smocking that give them a very interesting shape. The cuffs are snug and elasticated (arrow near my hand). I was pleased with how good it looked on, but I will have to tuck it in or wear a belt to keep it from overwhelming me.

I love this rounded neckline - lots of hand-gathered pleating business going on here. 

The brand is Sure 1032, which I got exactly zero interwebz search results on. 

I was really surprised that it's 100% woven hemp! It feels much softer, almost like a lawn cotton or silk.

It was $19.99, but I'm sure it would have been more than that retail. It feels like good quality; there's a lot of work in it. 

I had a cascade of nostalgia over this sweater. I remember this style - I had one really similar when I was in grade 10-11, around 1981. 

Aw, look at the lovely little V in the back, with the bow! 

The fabric is an angora blend, so I'll probably wear it twice and toss it when the angora starts getting in my eyes. But that colour! 

My suspicion of the 1981 date was confirmed when I noticed this on the front! 

dh with two lines over it - it's Daniel Hechter! When I was a teen, our local mall had a Fairweather store in it, and they carried Daniel Hechter sweatshirts in about 40 colours, all displayed folded on a big wall - they were highly sought-after, and every cool teen had one (mine was salmon pink and had this same logo on the chest). They also sold these angora sweaters in a few different necklines, also in a ton of colours. 

The remnant of the label (navy blue). I always cut my labels out of my clothes back then! 

For $24.99 I was happy, and I can't wait to indulge my inner teen with this soon. 

I strolled home from there, stopping in at Rich Rags to say hi to Julia and have a browse to see if anything caught my eye. 

Ding-ding-ding! Yes! Look at these awesome leather boots! 

THE STUDS. On the toes and up the back! 

My crow heart is exploding with joy! 

They are butter soft leather, no zippers (so, not shopping shoes!), and the laces go around the ankles. 

I KNOW. Studs around the heels too! Ah! 

They are barely worn, but show a few marks here and there. There is one missing stud, which you can see below. No one will notice! 

These heels are atrociously slippery, so I'm taking them to the cobbler tomorrow to have them replaced. I suspect the previous owner might have slipped and fallen in them and consigned them from rage. 

Some of these are studs, and some are SPARKLY GEMS. 

Forgive my all-caps, I am completely smitten. 

I nearly didn't try them on, since they are not my size - not by a long shot! 

It says, "US 8 | Eur 38.5 | UK 5.5"  - I wear a 9.5/40/7 usually. 

However, why not try when your heart is screaming "YES!" And I'm so glad I did, because they actually fit perfectly. 

My clues that the previous owner might have wiped out in them: some really hard scuff marks on the toes. The base leather colour is taupe, with black and brown rubbed over it to give them their weathered look. 

I used a whiteboard marker (the ink goes powdery) to touch up the toes - they look just right. 

Someone was mighty interested in them. 

"Dinner time!"

As you can see, the boots are by Aldo, another sad victim of COVID - they are closing down half of their Canadian stores, including the one in our downtown mall. These were $69.99 marked down to $59.00 - they probably would have been around $150-175 new. 

"Let me get at those laces, Woman."

I re-laced both boots to thread them through the tongue-holder - that will keep it from sliding around when I wear them. 

"This kitty-spaghetti is just out of my reach."

I should have them back from re-heeling next week, and I'm looking forward to wearing them. 

And now, Flashback time! 

Flashback: Matissed Tan Over-the-Knee Boots

I bought these boots at My Sister's Closet here in September 2016 for $42.95. I'd tried them immediately when I saw them, then put them back...do I need tan boots? What will I wear with them? And then someone else tried them on, and I quickly realized the error of my ways, and snatched them up when she passed.

The inner zips help me get them on and off - they are a nice soft leather, and were made in Brazil. The brand is Matisse, which I've seen in some shoe boutiques around town (these shoes that I bought in Sidney are also Matisse). That's a great walking heel - they're practically flats. 

I wore them right away the weekend that I bought them, with my funky Florence dress (Flashback here). 

They are great for walking, so I often wear them on the weekends, although I have worn them to work a bunch of times too. 

With the one and only wearing of this beautiful purple dress, also in September 2016. 

Great colour, but way too body-con for me! 

The extra coverage of over-the-knee (OTK) boots means they are nice and warm. 

I did my Sunday grocery shop in this outfit. I no longer have that skirt, and that orange sweater will make a reappearance soon. 

A loose t-shirt-y dress that I let go of ages ago - this was for my final session for my two upper-arm tattoos in November 2016.

I quickly realized that tan boots go with everything! 

I like this outfit from January 2017. 

I had the matching skirt to this leopard top.

Keeping my legs warm in February 2017 and covered as I indulge in my love for miniskirts. 

My beloved chicken top (now gone) and one of the very few wearings of that silk skirt (too cold for winter, too short for summer). 

The return of the orange sweater, in March 2017. 

I wore this to the movies - both the sweater and the stretchy jeans were around-the-house clothes for years. 

In September 2017, I wore them with my Fendi belt (Flashback here) and a cheap floral dress. 

"I'm coming in for some lovin.'"

The dress was H&M and was very cheaply made - although it is pretty. 

After seeing this outfit from October 2017, I feel the deep desire to wear my Yeti jacket! 

It and the boots are the only thing that's survived. 

Showing off my boots hiding under my Christmas Tree skirt, in December 2017.

It will get its annual wear this year! 

Oh, I've found a matching belt! 

This was in February 2018. I really loved that red dress. 

I wore them to the Ulti field (you can tell because I have contacts in) in April 2018.

I slightly regret letting go of that vintage skirt. Slightly. Mostly, I had forgotten about it until I saw this picture. 

We saw this April 2018 outfit in the Flashback for the Jean Paul Gaultier ribcage sweater (here). 

One of these months, I'll wear my jeans again. 

Now that I had the matching belt, I obviously had to wear my "set" with this dress again. 

This was in May 2018. 

This was the first and only wearing of this green sweater dress, in June 2018. 

The dress had an open cowl back - very difficult to style. 

I adore this outfit from September 2018. I'm wearing my ribcage sweater under it, which you can see at bit of at the neck.

The modified Stair Pose, the hat, the jacket (Burberry), the skirt (Kenzo). Fab. I have done many variations on this. 

This was the only wearing of these stretchy gold and black jeans, in October 2018. 

I gave them to Yvonne, who passed them along to one of her coworkers. 

I will be wearing this Christian Lacroix for Desigual dress soon - it's one of my favourite jammy dresses. 

This was in December 2018.

Belt and boots return to enhance my blue cardigan being worn as a dress (Flashback here), in January 2019.

That was a comfy work outfit, I recall. 

A more fancy work outfit, in February 2019, with my sequined mini. 

You will be sad to know that I let go of that beaded snake blouse this past year - it was always really hard to get on (seriously, put a zipper in!), but the last time I tried it on, I actually hurt my shoulder trying to wrestle it on over my head. Ah well, I'll always have the pictures. 

You'll remember this March 2019 outfit from the leather jacket Flashback (here).

Note the strategic deployment of the matching belt again! 

Again, using the OTK benefits to cover up some leg when wearing a mini, a velvet dress here in May 2019.

I let go of this dress too - it was always a little too girly for me. 

A reunion of the Florence dress in June 2019. 

I keep these boots out all year round, as they are awesome in the spring and fall. 

This outfit wowed everyone at the September 2019 Vintage Fair, and at work before that. 

I could repeat this easily. 

I wore them with today's skirt for its inaugural outing in October 2019.

Showing off the generous slit in the skirt - I wore today's safety-pin jacket over this outfit! 

A repeat on this formula: hat, pony-tails, tall boots and neutrals. 

This outfit is from November 2019. 

*ahem* As I was saying...

It's a variation on a theme! This was in December 2019. It's going to be funny seeing all the very similar outfits when I eventually do a Flashback on this leather jacket. 

The boots do a good job of grounding all this bright yellow. 

I wore this to work in January 2020. 

This is a funky look from February 2020. 

I need to wear that leather skirt again soon. 

A pretty outfit from March 2020. 

I could repeat all of that too. 

L and I did a very funny post for Star Wars Day in May 2020 (link here for a giggle). 

I'm Princess Leia, sneaking past Vizzini the Hutt to rescue Han Solo (L). Of course Princess Leia would wear OTK boots! She's a badass! 

Keeping my wrap-around skirt from making me feel too exposed, in June 2020. 

I need to wear that leopard coat again before it gets too cold. 

And here's the last time I wore these boots, for the Book Club tour of Craigdarroch Castle in September 2020. 

And there's that sequined skirt again. 

Mathy stuff: Wow, I have gotten my money's worth out of these - I've worn them 34 times in only 4 years! My original $42.95 is now down to $1.26 per wear, so for boots I wasn't sure I wanted, that is fantastic. And they have many more years of wear in them, I'm sure.