Where did that weekend go? It was way too fast, but crammed with adventure, so that probably contributed to that
Whoosh! feeling I had. I have three outfits to share with you, with a wee Flashback, not to mention a few things that I bought for myself while I was supposed to be shopping for L's birthday. So let's get started, shall we?
After hanging out at home with Nick and L on Friday night until the wee hours, I was up early-ish to head to town to shop for birthday presents for L.
It was a glorious sunny day, and it felt good to out among people. Downtown was busier than I've seen it in ages - great news for the businesses!
- Jacket - Prosperity, consignment; last worn here in September 2020 with green and origami
- Blouse - Tatum & Olivia, consignment; last seen here in April with neutral linens
- Skirt - Compania Fantastica, consignment, Vancouver; last worn here in August 2020 with daisies
- Shoes - Sol Sana; last seen here (2nd outfit) for Easter at Mom's in April
I didn't take my jacket off at all while I was out, but here's the outfit without it just so you can see.
I love this fluffy ruffled blouse - it goes with everything!
The skirt is a favourite, for the colour, the pleats, and the elastic waistband. We'll Flashback on the ways I've worn it over the past two years.
Jacket on.
A woman and her daughter admired my jacket. "It has all kinds of space things!"
It sure does!
Masked up in gold stars (mask by Mom) to go with my galactic print.
Pockets! I liked the length of the jacket here - it's a different silhouette.
The stuff:
I shopped for about 5 hours, which is easily the longest I've been on my feet in these shoes. They were awesome (no blisters or rubbing), but my feet were very tired when I got home.
Matchy bling:
I deliberately wore things that would discourage me from shopping for myself: buckles on the shoes, a belt, a cuff. They're a pain when trying things on.
- Belt - Emmanuel, vintage 80s, thrifted
- Cuff/ring - Italian, vintage 60s, vintage mall
- Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
- Earrings - Stella & Dot, consignment, Vancouver
It didn't work - I bought a couple of things, ha ha, of course I did. We'll get to those after the Flashback.
Flashback: Compania Fantastica Orange and White Polka Dot Skirt
We should be back on track for an anniversary trip to Vancouver next year (it's a big one for us too), and I'm looking forward to seeing our friends over there, plus hitting all the great consignment and vintage shops in Van. This skirt was found
here in March 2019.
It's fully lined in a nice orange, and it's a very comfy skirt.
I've never heard of Compania Fantastica, but it was only $34.99 (new with tags!) from the Main Exchange - it would have been around $50 originally.
I wore it right away in April 2019, playing with the lovely creamsicle tones.
My jelly-deer sweater popped nicely against the orange - skirt approved by Vizzini, I see!
Pattern mixing here in June 2019, with my silk bird-print blouse.
Modern bold white shoes to keep things looking fresh.
I like this outfit from August 2019, because everything matched so well.
I'd forgotten about those sandals - they haven't been worn much over the last year due to lack of special events.
My first 2020 outfit with the skirt was in April 2020.
I like the mix of green and dark red with the orange. This skirt goes with everything!
Paired with daisies and yellow here in August 2020.
I love how the citrusy yellow works with the orange.
Mathy stuff: I'm still very early in my relationship with it, so I expect I'll need to update this skirt's Flashback in a couple of years. With only these 6 outfits, my cost-per-wear is now $5.83 - I'm still very happy with that.
Now, back to my shopping. I was very restrained - there were lots of things I was tempted by, but I only bought two items, and I love them. These were both purchased at Flavour Upstairs - sorry, L, didn't find anything for you there, so I'm not giving anything away. I often buy L ties, shirts, pants and shorts there - I shop for him constantly while I shop for myself.
I adore skirts (as you know), but they have to be just right for me to buy them. This doesn't look like much on the hanger...
...but it's very swooshy and fun to wear. It's pleated and sewn down to the top of the hips, so that the pleats flare out below that.
It's likely that this had a matching jacket or blouse - it just has that feel to it.
The fabric is sheer polyester with a ribbon-effect woven into it.
The abstract paint-y flowers are in tan, with red centres. Doesn't it look like a kiss print? Red lips?
It's by Aljean of Canada, a label that I've seen in thrift stores, usually on tartan/plaid garments, which is what they were known for. Check out this 1956 newspaper clipping
here (link 'cause I love) - the skirt on the bottom is the exact same style as this one, and there's the matching top!
My label looks...not
that old! Digging a little further, I found that their company trademark ran from 1950 and it expired in 2012. "Aljean Canada Inc." was first filed in 1981, which fits with my estimation of age: the early 1980s.
This is marked a size 12 (a modern size 8), it's 100% polyester and it's hand-washable. I had a cream blouse in this same kind of ribbon fabric c. 1983.
All mine for $22.99! One button at the waistband, and a side zip (plastic zip with a metal rounded tab).
Because my city is only a 6-hour flight to Hawaii, we see a lot of Hawaiian clothes in the thrift and second-hand stores here. I've been to Hawaii three times myself on family trips: once in 1977 (Oahu/Honolulu), again in 1981 (Maui, with my Grandma, my dad's mom), and to Honolulu again in 1985, the year I graduated from high school.
I fell hard for this stunner of a dress. It's non-stretch, with a side slit for walking. This is close to full length on me.
It has adjustable straps, and don't you just love the rich purple floral?
So pretty! It's called the Purple Hibiscus fabric. It's from Hilo Hatties, where I remember our family buying matching outfits on the 1977 trip (all blue "Hawaiian silk"), and I think also on the Maui trip in 1981 (Mom and I had matching pink dresses/skirts?).
All their clothes are made in Hawaii and while they aren't making this exact dress anymore, they still make a very similar one
(this one) that retails for $49.99 US/$60 Canadian. Mine is 100% cotton woven in a barkcloth texture (you can see the backside above the zipper here). $32.99 felt reasonable.
I saw this dress listed on several secondhand sites as vintage 1960s (I laughed at their "very well preserved" comment) and vintage 1980s, but it's clearly early 00s: the cut and style are a dead giveaway. It also feels pretty new - this isn't vintage unless you consider early 00s vintage, which I don't. Hey, I'm just getting used to calling the 90s vintage, for goodness' sake! Give me a few years!
On my way home from town, I was laden with my gifts for L but stopped into local second-hand furniture/housewares store Charmaine's, where I spotted this wonderful blue/brass velvet stool.
This is exactly what I've been watching for - I've been looking for another stool so that both of the chairs on the deck have a footstool. Sure, I could order things online, but I like the randomness of looking in second-hand stores and seeing what treasures I find.
The pale blue picks up blues in the tile and that blanket (which Vizzini's been sleeping on).
It was $99.00, and was in perfect condition.
And there's the original price: $189.99! LZB is probably La-Z-Boy Furniture (we have a store here).
Vizzini scoped it out.
"This does not smell like food."
I lugged this and everything else I'd bought (plus another giant gift that I'd bought L) another several blocks uphill, and was sweating and exhausted by the time I got home. Nap time!
After my nap, I dressed for our Zoom Happy Hour, only to find that it had been cancelled. I suspect it will end soon, as we can now socialize in person.
But I did all my pictures before I discovered we'd be Zoomless, so you get a bonus outfit with another jammy dress.
- Dress - Proenza Schouler for Barney's, thrifted; last seen here in November 2020 for dinner out with Tammy
- Shoes - Zoomies Ishshoes, Fluevog; last worn here in April with green floral and houndstooth
Vizzini photobombed while I was taking my pictures - it's dinner time!
"If I stare at my food cupboard, maybe she will figure it out."
The dress has blue in the lighter trim, which is why I wore blue lace tights, but in retrospect they don't really work.
"What is she doing? Why am I not being fed?"
The dress is made of two different patterns - one is the "negative" of the other, split down the middle, and flipped on the hem and cuffs.
"I'm going to waste away..."
I'll wear it again later this summer - the long sleeves and the 100% silk fabric (this is a CLASSY designer brand, y'know!) make it awesome for hot weather.
The stuff:
I clomped around the house in these for a little while, then took them off. "Thank you," said my feet.
Black and white bling:
I love the vintage clip-on plastic earrings. They are really light, easy on my ears.
- Cuff - vintage, vintage fair
- Lucite/silver cuff - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Vancouver
- Earrings - vintage 70s, vintage fair
- Silver/onyx ring - Toccara, vintage fair
- Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
On Sunday, I had Book Club. As we have too many of us to meet indoors and we're all still feeling wary (even with the new loosened restrictions), we met up at Beacon Hill Park as usual. I dressed to sit on the ground. Thank you to L who drove me there and picked me up.
I woke up very stiff and sore from Saturday's shopping expedition. Carrying the new stool under one arm, plus another giant gift I was carrying, plus all the gifts in my backpack, and shopping for 5 hours - this has ramifications!
- Jacket - Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, consignment; last worn here (3rd outfit) in September 2020 for Book Club at Mindy's
- Blouse - Karl Lagerfeld, thrifted; last seen here in February with my green tweed suit
- Pants - See By Chloe, thrifted; last worn here in July 2020 with this same jacket!
- Shoes - Matisse, Sidney; last seen here (2nd outfit) in April with my brolly skirt
I wasn't sure how to dress for the weather, so I dressed in layers and prepared for rain (which is almost always in the cards here).
These trousers are hilariously huge in the legs - they have many extra pleats in them.
I could stuff about six bags of marshmallows in there, if I wanted to be a Marshmallow Smuggler. That seems like a viable career option with these pants.
Super unflattering rear view, ha ha! Ya know what? I don't care!
Without the jacket, which I've paired with these enormous pants before. I like the cropped, uneven style of it - Vivienne Westwood is one of my favourite designers.
It might be sunny! And it was - I had to borrow sunblock from Cat so I could take my jacket off.
Masked up - I like to always have one at the ready.
I brought extra layers in case it got chilly. Which it also did.
Fully bundled up. I only wore all of this for the drive there.
Hat for rain, cashmere/silk scarf for warmth (or shade from the sun), leather/cashmere long gloves in case it's cold. It's spring - it could be anything!
Outerwear stuff:
I ended up needing everything but the gloves. It was hot and sunny...and cloudy and windy...and cold. Repeat! Crazy weather.
The stuff:
My feet were still tired from shopping on Saturday, and these are easily one of my most comfy pairs of shoes. The didn't stay on my feet for long.
Minimal bling:
In order to sunblock, I had to remove all of my rings including the four I wear daily. I like rings.
- Earrings - thrifted, Sidney
- Amber ring - c. 1996
- Wood ring - Dots
Say hi to the blog-world, my literary lovelies! Blogosphere, this is Book Club. Janaki wasn't able to make it, so we just had six of us.
From left: Caro, Cat, Mindy, Yvonne and Ciara. I sat on my poncho/blanket in the foreground. Cat and Caro both cycled here.
We discussed Mindy's pick, "Promise at Dawn" by Romain Gary (we mostly loved it - I'd recommend it, I gave it a 4/5), and then Yvonne presented her pick, "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett.
I've never read anything by Ann Patchett, but I think both
Vix and
Ann are fans, so I'm excited to read this. I'm up as the next picker (I select the book and buy all the copies - it's top secret!), so the pressure is on!
Ah, this was so good, to sit and chat books and catch up on our lives for a couple of hours.
As you can see, I kicked off my shoes immediately and soaked up some sun.
Vizzini, I'm home! Are you ready to cuddle?
"Did you say food time?"
No, silly cat, I did not.
I hope you enjoyed my little adventures - thanks so much for stopping by!
I'm a big ran of this circles top - it's like open-work lace. It's unlined in the sleeves. 
It was a gorgeous day today, up to 21 degrees - no coat needed! 
I was chatting with a former coworker in our building lobby when a person exiting the nearby elevator hollered at me, "This! So good! Gold shoes!" while waving her arms at me. I think people are looking forward to wearing dressy clothes...or at least seeing other people dressed up. 
More easy stuff. 
