Fancy Friday: Snakeskin and POUS Flashback, Plus Snow and Undecorating

Hello, my friends! Just popping in to share my Friday outfit and catch up on the past couple of days. As you know, I like to wear most of my new-to-me purchases as soon as possible, and I was excited to give this DVF wrap top a shot. 

It has everything I love: snakeskin print, a flattering cut and great fabric (it's 100% silk knit, so warm, durable and feels amazing). 

• Top - Diane Von Furstenberg, consignment; purchased here for $27.00
• Trousers - Linda Lundstrom, Hazel's via Caro; last worn here in December 2020 with a silver top
• Shoes - Big Presence Desmond, Fluevog; last seen here in November 2021 with urban camo
• Coat (below) - Sarmite Wearable Art, consignment; last worn here in December 2021

I plan to keep the top out in my wardrobe year-round as it will be wonderful in spring with my solid-colour bright skirts, and it matches my Desmond snakeskin shoes exactly. 

I've layered a bright blue cami under it for office appropriateness (even though there was barely anyone around). My camis aren't tracked - I have a rainbow of them. 

My trousers are hilariously large, and in fact I refer to them as POUSes, as in Pants of Unusual Size, as a nod to my favourite movie, The Princess Bride, and its ROUSes, Rodents of Unusual Size. 

We pronounce that Pea Oh You Ess, by the way, not "powse." We'll have a little Flashback on them shortly.

 

Masked up.

I had to wear my snakeskin mask - matchy! 

Outerwear - the Six Foot Coat makes another appearance. 

I needed the warmth. It's been a weird few days, weatherwise. 

Accoutrements: 

I needed the bright colours! 

• Fur scarf - thrifted
• Gloves - Cejon, thrifted
• Ear muffs - Michael Kors, consignment
• Mask - by Mom

The stuff: 

I nearly wore my Big Presence Desmonds in the matchy snakeskin, but I resisted the Lure of Overly Matchiness (so tempting!!) and went with my bright cobalt blue pair to add a little more colour to my outfit. I also wore a pair of fleece-lined printed trouser socks.

Sparkly bling: 

No theme for January but I'm still going strong with both Colour Therapy and sparkles to help keep my spirits up. 

• Crystal cuff - Swarovski, consignment, gift from L
• Bangle - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Sidney
• Necklace - vintage 60s, Grandma J's
• Earrings - thrifted
• Silver/sodalite ring - Scotland, 1996
• Lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes

Sparkle! Yay! 

Flashback: Linda Lundstrom Trousers

I got these from Carolyn at a Winesday several years ago (here) in August 2017, and although I didn't realize it at the time, they are the Perfect Grey Trousers. They belonged to her mom, Hazel - Caro often brings giveaways to Winesday, and every so often, I take something that appeals to me. 

They are by Linda Lundstrom, who is still around, although she sold her company in 2008.

They're made in Canada and are a poly-blend with stretch - they look like twill, with a slightly marled texture. 

In 2017, no one was wearing wide-legged or high-waisted trousers, so this was a New Thing for me. I was reassured when I showed up for work in August 2017 and my colleague Emily was wearing a (slightly less colourful) similar outfit. 

I still have the obi, but replaced those old blue suede shoes with the pair I wore today (Always Be Upgrading!). 

The shape of these trousers is very odd; they are slim through the waist and hips, then massively wide, tapering down to a slightly narrower ankle. 

Seen here with my first Monster Vest (given to niece Sydney) in December 2017. Shoes Flashbacked here, and that optic/circles top Flashbacked here. 

They have pockets! Add that to all the excellent other features, and these are the Perfect Grey Trousers. I have never seen better, so I remind myself of this when browsing the pants racks while shopping. 

This was in February 2018. I gave that pink suede shirt to Caro (it looks amazing on her) - a perfect trade! Shoes Flashbacked here.

You can see the funky shape of the legs here. They are actually seamed down the front and back as well as the outsides - there is no inner leg seam. 

This outfit is from December 2018. Same earrings as today - I still have that red suede jacket (it's part of a skirt-suit). 

Worn with SOUSes (Shoulders Of Unusual Size) in January 2019. 

I didn't keep that jacket - it was really challenging to style with its massive shoulder pads. Shoes Flashbacked here; blouse Flashbacked here. 

I keep these trousers in my fall/winter wardrobe (they feel too dark for spring/summer, plus no room!), and pair them with other greys and colours. 

Here in December 2019 with a different blue blouse and my grey maxi vest. I gave up those shoes - they started to hurt my feet (Flashbacked here), and I just wasn't feeling them. 

And here's the last time I wore my POUSes, in December 2020. 

They aren't terribly exciting trousers, but they make me giggle at their enormity, and that alone is reason enough to keep them! 

Mathy stuff: Well, they were FREE, so I can't do a cost-per-wear, but I've now worn them 8 times in almost 5 years, which is not bad. 

Other Stuff

I was so out of it after my periodontal appointment (it's major scaling, every 5 months) on Wednesday, and woozy from the after-effects of my happy pill and all the freezing, that I missed out on showing y'all the extra presents from Mom that she gave me for Christmas. L and I did a Zoom call with her that evening and opened our presents live.

Mom also gave me some chocolate (eaten already, hee hee), as well as a pair of silver/amber earrings, a book, and a tube of soup mix (locally produced) in a flavour she didn't care for (potato). The book looks really interesting - it gives a bit of in-depth history of Craigdarroch Castle (enjoy my tour here with some of my Book Club gals) and some of its artifacts. I did giggle at Mom's dig, "I forgot to read it first" (I read the book I gave her for Christmas 2020 before she got it). I'll pass it along to you when I'm done, Mom! 

The framed certificate was my dad's apprenticeship completion, after doing four years of Industrial Mechanical study/work. He was diagnosed with dyslexia very late in life (after my brother was) as an adult, and it was hugely challenging for him to accomplish this.

 This certificate and his Electrician certificate were two of his proudest academic moments in his life. My brother Dave chose the other, and I got this one - Mom thought these would be something we would both appreciate. I love it, and will be hanging it up soon. 

A close-up of the earrings: 

They are sterling silver, and Mom got them at Mattick's Farm - they do remind me of my outfit from when we went there (here). Thanks so much, Mom, I love it all. 

Mom and I had planned a nice visit on Thursday while I took down my Christmas decorations, but instead we had a snowstorm overnight! 

We've had 50cm (~20 inches) of snow in the last 5 weeks and frankly, I am DONE with the snow. Enough, Winter, you nasty season! 

Get that dog off my lawn while you're at it! 

So...no Mom visit, but I did take all my decorations down. Sadly, I dropped this heart: 

And it smashed to smithereens. Dang. 

I also found a string of lights that Vizzini had chomped - it gave me a wee electrical shock! Here's the living/"dining" room area undecorated. 

I left up the string of lights around the bookcase for a little extra glow. I changed up some of the décor, but only minor stuff. 

The bar has been restored and now L can get at his rums again without knocking over villagers. 

"I shall inspect everything."

Vizzini hid the entire time. What a chicken-cat.

My side of the room. I had "Love It or List It" home renovation shows running all day (I like the reveals, but I'm not really into renos otherwise). 

L's side of the room. 

I also left up the lights around the deck doors. We left Vizzini's big post in our bedroom - it's out in this picture but I put it back - as he really likes sitting and looking out the bedroom window while the warm heat from the baseboards wafts up at him. 

And looking back.

It feels bare. 

L and I joined  Nick, Casey, Caro and Ron (all recovered from his pre-Christmas bout of Covid) for dinner at Le Petite Saigon Vietnamese restaurant to celebrate Nick's retirement. No lingering for us afterwards, though, as we are mindful that we have to make it back up to see L's mom in the next few weeks. Home to feed the furious feline! 

I did, however, pop into Flavour Upstairs on my way there as I had some time after work, and I found this pendant:

My hand is in there for scale - it's over 2.5 inches in diameter. 

It's very heavy - I think it's solid brass. 

I like the "moon craters" design - some of the craters have enamel in them in blue and amber. 

This is a cire perdu (lost wax) method of casting metal, and the look of this made me think it might be Brutalist. 

I like the sand-like texture of it.

It's a bit scratched and worn, but I could barely make out a signature on the back. 

It says, "de Passille-Sylvestre" and refers to Micheline De Passillé and Yves Sylvestre, husband/wife metalwork artists in Quebec between the 1960s and 1980s (link here 'cause I love). I found a few pictures of this same pendant on various sites noting that this is gold-plated. 

Most of their work was more smooth enamel-work Modernist designs (there was a brooch at Flavour by them as well, but it was not to my taste), so I'd guess they dabbled in the Brutalist look, perhaps in the 70s. 

The hanger on mine has been smushed and it's missing its original serpentine chain, but still...for $10.00? 

I spotted a few (less battered) ones for sale online in the $75.00 range, so I'm happy with my purchase!

Enjoy your weekend, my friends, and thank you so much for stopping by!