Unexpected Post: Mental Health Shop and Gookey Flashback

Today I was supposed to get my hair cut, but my stylist cancelled a few hours before, so I was unexpectedly free for the day, until my Zoom call with Mom in the afternoon. Since I had to go to town to mail a package anyway, I popped into a few of my favourite stores. 

I decided to wear some of my favourite pieces: this awesome skirt and my Gucci (but it's fake) zippy lace jacket. 

• Jacket - fake Gucci (Gookey!), thrifted; last worn here a full year ago, in April 2020 with these same shoes
• Skirt - Maeve, thrifted; last seen and Flashbacked here in June 2020 with mostly orange
• Shoes - Camper; last worn here in May 2020 with a three-hour dress

As most of my bright coloured camisoles have worn out or been moved along, I actually struggled with what to wear under this see-through lace bomber - I ended up doing a beige tank-style undershirt. 

I love how these two bright items go so well together. We'll have a Flashback on this lace bomber shortly. 

It was a lovely sunny day, although not as hot as it was on the weekend. 

It's supposed to start raining again by Friday. Back to our regular wet spring! 

Masked up. 

I liked the mix of red and orange tones with the navy and bright green in this outfit. 

I carried my blue leather Danier purse and a couple of cloth shopping bags. 

I have my tunes and I'm ready for a good session of Mental Health Shopping. 

Outerwear stuff. 

My outfit had no pockets, so I needed the front pocket of the bag for my mp3 player. 

• Purse - Danier Leather, thrifted
• Mask - Lazy Susan's

The stuff: 

These are very soft and comfy to walk in. At the last store I went to, the salesperson exclaimed over them. 

Round bling: 

I'm very fond of this orange pair, the cuff and ring. 

• Cuff/ring - Italian, vintage 60s, vintage mall
• Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
• Earrings - Tania Gleave, Granville Island

I had some fabulous luck shopping - the Thrift and Second-Hand Gods smiled upon me. But first, let's look at our Gookey jacket. 

Flashback: Green Lace Fake Gucci (Gookey!) Bomber Jacket 

I bought this jacket at the since-closed St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop in town post-brunch here in October 2017 for a whopping $5.00. 

I was extremely drawn to the green lace, and the dark green and red trim. 

I was shocked to see a Gucci label, until I quickly realized there is no WAY this is Gucci. It's a pretty shoddy copy, in fact.

A REAL Gucci lace bomber (it was never made in solid green) is listed at Farfetch right now at over $3,500 - I'll happily take my $5.00 "Gookey" rip-off. 

And it's been surprisingly versatile, so let's take a quick look at all the ways I've worn it. 

My first wearing in October 2017. I didn't keep that skirt, but I still have that swath of pearls, and we saw those shoes in Flashback here. 

I mixed a bunch of colours here with today's skirt (Flashbacked here) in November 2017.

Those are my old pair of blue pumps - I bought new ones last year by Fluevog (these ones) to replace them (Always Be Upgrading). 

We saw the lace bomber with this Kenzo skirt in Flashback here.

This was in March 2018.

More familiar items from this April 2018 outfit. 

Like the shoes (Flashbacked here) and the houndstooth skirt (Flashback here). 

I wore it twice in one day in August 2018. 

This was my work outfit. I let go of that 80s strapless dress (it's in the giveaway pile), but the shoes are going strong (Flashback here). 

I changed to my Jean Paul Gaultier jeans (Flashback here) when I got home. 

Elaine and I went to a movie - it was just before she moved away. Vizzini does not approve of me going out! 

Worn in September 2018 here. 

I let go of that red top (I need to find a new one!), but I'm sure you remember this skirt from last week. Shoes Flashback here. 

I wore this to Mom's for Easter in April 2019. 

I love that acid yellow leather skirt and look forward to wearing it again soon. Shoes Flashbacked here. 

I finally gave up on this skirt, seen here in June 2019. It visually wanted to be a fall skirt (chrysanthemums, dark colours), but was so lightweight (it's silk) that I could only wear it in summer. 

Pink shoes Flashbacked here. 

I wore this to the Ulti field in August 2019. 

I love that swooshy skirt. I have a soft spot for maxi skirts. 

And here's the last time I wore the lace bomber, in April 2020. 

Another skirt I'm looking forward to wearing again! 

Mathy stuff: Well, considering I only paid $5.00 for this jacket, I've certainly got the cost-per-wear down low! I've worn it 12 times now which is a whopping 42 cents per wear. I'm very happy with that. 

Shopping Haul

I love to shop - it's my Zen time, and Tuesday afternoons it's dead in the second-hand stores. Love it. No crowds, and I'm as safe as can be. I started at the Patch (because it's next to the Post Office), where they still had their BOGO deal on. 

I found a pair of Tommy Hilfiger aqua chinos at $19.95 for L, and then hunted for some treasures for me. I love that the Patch includes new items in its sales - I usually go through their racks very thoroughly and none of these things were there last time I was in. 

As those racks are crammed and I didn't want to spent 3 hours looking at every single item, I just grabbed at fabric and ran my hands along the racks. This silky fabric leapt out at me. 

I know, not usually my style, but I have been known to rock the neutrals! 

The pattern is Hs, and this has some wear on it, only noticeable by the washing instructions tag being completely faded and worn out. 

Since the blouse is 100% polyester, it is likely machine wash/tumble dry - that nice 80s polyester wears like iron. This blouse is in great condition for its age (much like your humble blogger, heh heh).

It's by Halston III, which was around for 6 years starting in 1983 and was created for JC Penny. Halston the designer was one of the very first to license his name for a department store's line, and many retailers felt it cheapened his product and subsequently withdrew their orders for his high-end clothes. The JC Penney line was a failure and was eventually dropped in the late 80s. (source, link 'cause I love). 

I didn't know this when I found it, but I knew it was real Halston and I knew it was old. It's made in Korea, which we don't see anymore, and it's a classic early 80s style (big full sleeves). I am excited to wear it! 

It was $22.95 and was FREE, due to the other more expensive purchases that I also made. 

This skirt caught my eye and I gasped out loud. 

It's a handmade 1950s patchwork skirt. 

Look at this beauty! 

I suspect that it might have been either a personal project or a school Home Economics project for its maker. You know, like, get all the old cotton shirts, dresses, etc. you can find and make a skirt out of them. 

The back. 

There are over 30 different fabrics in it, and some squares are repeated. 

From the construction, I'd guess that the squares were sewn together in a block and then the pattern was cut out on top of them. Add the black waistband and gentle zig-zag of the black hem, pop in a zipper and you have a skirt. 

The zipper is a metal "Talon" brand one (reinforcing my theory that this is from the 50s - plastic zips are from the 60s onward), and it's had some ragged repairs. I've unzipped it to the point where it fits my waist - that's where I'll be wearing it. There's no 24" waist here! 

Check out some of these fun fabrics. I spy sombreros, some abstract people shapes and some bright splashes.

There are several squares of batik cotton, plus a few that have Virgin Islands tourist-y views. 

I wonder what these fabric remnants used to be? Dresses? Shirts? The blurry pink/white one (upper left corner) feels like a silk/cotton blend - I wonder if that was from a special dress? There are at least 4 squares of it.

A curious patch with the Wright Brothers in their biplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, plus a loom (1800) and "Clermont" which is...a paddlewheeler? Maybe it's an ode to inventions? 

I like the theme throughout it of pink and yellow, with some patches containing black. There's also a repeated theme of dots/polka dots. 

The person who put it together had an eye for colour and pattern. It's a very cohesive skirt for being patchwork. 

Note this bizarre piece (there are a few of these) with pink gnomes! 

What in the pink blazes is that?? It's a downright creepy, is what it is! And it was only $24.95 - I've seen similar skirts at vintage fairs in the $100-250 range! 

Like my Proenza Schouler dress (this one, also found at the Patch for a whopping $22.95), I was gobsmacked to find another high-end designer dress hiding out in the vintage prom gowns. 

It doesn't look like much on the hanger, but it's really pretty on, very flapper-ish/20s. It has a dropped waist, slight capped sleeves and a plunging neckline (I'll be wearing something under it!). 

The fabric is gorgeous - it's woven in a floral print, and then printed over that. 

Orange, green, acid yellow and baby blue. Hmm, who do we know with those colours in her closet? Is it me? 

It's made in Italy, and is a silk/viscose/poly blend. 

Size 44, which is around a size 10 for US/Canada. 

I recognized the name: Bottega Veneta! Scoping out their site, the cheapest dress they have is $2,100 (they go $6,000 or more for fancy ones). At some point, I'll go through their runway shows on Vogue.com and see if I can find what year this dress is from - I suspect it's late 90s or early 00s. 

It was priced accordingly at $79.99...but this dress plus the patchwork skirt are all I paid for. $105 for four items is excellent! 

I quickly popped into the Beacon Ave Thrift Shop (not a usual stop for me) and hit gold in the tie bin. 

Two very swanky modern (2010-ish) ties sandwiching a very groovy 70s tie. 

The two bright ties are for L's collection - Duchamp and Richard James. L bought a Duchamp tie in Vancouver a couple of years ago (this one) for $30, and they sell for around $175.00. Richard James (of Saville Row, very posh!) ties start at $145.00 each. Both of those ties were made in England. 

The middle tie is just one I couldn't resist. I love the colours and am keeping it for me. Oh, how much did I pay for these? Two dollars apiece, and the woman in the shop thanked me for buying them! 

I also found this adjustable leather and metal belt. 

It was $5.00. It's a little big on me, but I'll just pass it on if it doesn't work. 

From there, I stood outside the WIN store for about 20 minutes, as they have reduced the number of shoppers they're allowing to 10 instead of 30 (it's a huge warehouse, lots of room). I don't mind waiting - I'd rather their staff feel safe. 

I found a few useful things, like this gorgeous coral-red thin sweater. 

There I am, grousing about not having tops to wear, and I found a top. 

The date for this was down the seam: Spring 2017, delivered to stores in November 2016.

It's a silk/cashmere blend and is by Banana Republic.

It was only $18.95 - these retailed for around $109 new. 

Since I wore out my black sleeveless mock-neck top from last year, and I like that style, I've been watching for other useful colours.

Rosy pink? Yes, please! 

It's by Melanie Lyne (a former Canadian mall store), and it was new with tags! 

It's marked a size large, but fits like a medium. It was $12.95, all the way from the original price of $80.00, although as you can see, it was on clearance for $19.99. 

It's a rayon/silk/nylon blend, so it's very soft, and will not fade or bag out. 

I got home just as my Zoom call with Mom was about to start, so I treated her to a "haul" view of all my goodies. I prefaced this piece with "Most Useless Raincoat Ever."

It made me giggle. It's a short-sleeved, high-necked, cropped coat. 

It has all kinds of random ties all over it. 

I can make some of it extra puffy! 

100% cotton, nice. 

It's by Animale and was half price, so $9.50, due t the punch in the tag. No trace of anything like this online, but based on the cropped cut, I'd say it's from the mid-00s. 

This skirt made me gasp. Ooh, pretty! 

This got L's thumbs-up too - he liked the roses and the dramatic pattern. 

The hem is trimmed with inset lace, and it has elastic on either side in the lace (you can see it near my hand there) to pull the sides in. 

An all-black tag...but wait, I see something...it's Anna Sui! 

Wow, I know that name - she's friends with John Fluevog. Short skirts on her site range around the $200 mark. 

Made in the USA! You don't see that much anymore! 

The loops inside the skirt were still attached, if there was any doubt. 

I even got a free safety pin out of it. 

Seriously, Anna Sui for $16.95? Get out of town! Resale sites list similar for $60 and more.

I included the content label so you can see this was well-loved, and probably washed. I think it's a cotton/rayon/silk blend, by the feel. 

Bonus non-posed content! Here's the Useless Coat and the Sui skirt on me. 

As always with WIN in these pandemic times, the fitting rooms are closed so I bought all of these things without trying them on. Fingers crossed! 

I saw this on the display and stood there, making grabby hands at it. The lovely volunteer helpfully removed it from me, and put up with me jumping up and down and clapping. 

It's a tutu!! I have a teal blue tutu! 

It's three layers of netting: teal-navy-teal. 

It's by Hamilton's Theatrical Supply, "Proudly Canadian since 1958". 

Looks like I have Ava's skirt. 

It's washable, and made in Canada, and is called the "Romantic Tutu Teal". 

They don't list any of their prices on the website, but I'm fairly certain tutus cost over $12.95. 

I would not deprive you of enjoying this immediately with me. 

Eeee! So floofy! I flounced around it for a while taking my clothing pics. 

Someone is VERY much enamoured of it. 

"Om nom, this is a delicious skirt, thank you for buying it for me."

Little bugger. I kept having to shoo him away, and I have to store it where he can't reach it. I can't wait to wear this for real! 

I also had to bring this skirt home. Yes, it's velvet and will probably induce Velvet Rage at some point, but it's so pretty. 

It's a soft steel blue, almost grey, bias-cut skirt. 

Stretching it out...

Oh, that is going to swoosh! 

It has a tiny slit in it, like that will make a difference in walking. 

"Hey, where did my skirt go?"

It has an attached organza ribbon around the waistband, with another strip of scribbly-looking gold and sequins tacked onto it. 

As you can see, it's in rough shape. I will probably pick it off altogether. 

However, it has long ties of the same material that is in perfectly good condition. 

I feel like I could use that for something. 

It's by Linda Lundstrom and was only $9.95 due to the waistband issues. "As is."

Made in Canada, it's a rayon/silk blend, soft as kittens. 

I felt like a Celtic Princess in it. As I remember VERY well that whole Celtic velvet dress/skirt/frock coat look from the mid-90s, I feel confident that this is from that era. 

"I want my tasty skirt back!"

I love the shine on it. 

And the last thing I found was a pair of pristine purple suede gloves. 

I love the black leather piping and woven accents. 

Not bad for $7.95. They are lined in acrylic wool. 

That's a score! I'm very happy with that. 

On my way home I checked out the $10 rack outside of Rich Rags and spotted a red workout top.

I'm always looking for a long-sleeved top for wearing for Ulti or for my long walks. $10 is good for a Nike top. 

One last expression of joy at my tutu.

"There's no joy here, Woman."

Instead of my Wednesday work outfit, I'll be doing a catch-up tomorrow. Today would have been our dear Karen's 60th birthday, so we are having a small, safe outdoor gather to celebrate her and grieve a bit. 

Take care, my friends!