Wednesday, February 2, 2022

A Snaky Day, and Long Grey Vest Flashback

Despite teases that things in my province may be opening up again in the next month, my office continues to be dead. 
Thanks to my Calgary colleague Valentina, who called me on Teams for a work conundrum and asked me to show off my outfit. How I miss my fashion chats! 

  • Vest - Pink Martini, consignment; last seen here in November 2021 over soft blue velvet
  • Blouse - Cabi, consignment, Powell River; purchased here for $17.00
  • Skirt - J. Crew, thrifted; last worn and Flashbacked here in March 2021
  • Shoes - Big Presence Desmond, Fluevog, consignment; last seen here in November 2021 with this vest!
  • Leather coat (below) - Elizabeth and James, consignment; last worn here in January

I had this outfit all planned and ready to go...but without the vest. 
However, it's been so darned cold and damp lately that I really wanted another layer...but how to do that without hiding the blouse?

I've been eyeing my cardigan collection - do I still wear these? - and noticed that the grey knit of this vest would work with my snakeskin print shoes...
Can I do grey and cream together? Sure, why not? It all goes. This is my 10th wearing of this wool pencil skirt, so I'm doing well there. 

And voila! We'll have a little Flashback on this vest in a bit. 
I had to remember to wrap the bottom ends of the vest over my lap to keep them from getting rolled into the wheels of my office chair. Chairs like to eat long skirts, dresses and cardis.

I loved wearing this blouse (the sleeves delight me), but it is sheer, so I wore a blue cami underneath. 
Overall, this was a chilly outfit. I struggled finding something interesting to wear with the blouse, so I've chucked it into my spring/summer I'll-deal-with-you-later hiding spot (behind the shorter skirts).

Masked up.
This one is nearly an exact match for the snaky shoes as well as the snake texture in the blouse's print. 

Outerwear: 
As noted, I carried the vest to work in a separate bag (my shoes are carried in my leather knapsack). I picked this wonderful coat because of the vivid cornflower blue - it matched the blue in the blouse's print. 

Accoutrements: 
I wished for both a warmer scarf and a hat. Sheila, it is not spring yet - bundle up! 

  • Silk scarf - fake Louis (Lewis!) Vuitton, thrifted
  • Gloves - vintage, thrifted
  • Mask - by Mom

I attempted to do a Movie Star Wrap around my hair while paused at a stoplight on the way to work, but between juggling my coffee travel mug and my extra bag with the vest, plus headphones, a mask and cold gloved fingers, it was a losing battle. I did better on the way home, when I could wrap myself up before I left the office. 

The stuff: 
Yup, I went full snaky today. The shoes are such a great basic style. 

Snaky bling:
While I was perusing my bling (which I pick out the night before), I was looking for a necklace, and spotted this gold vintage one peeking out of my Soft Bag of Large Neckpieces. Aha! A theme! 

  • Necklace - vintage 70s, vintage expo
  • Snake cuff - Whiting & Davis, vintage 70s, vintage fair
  • Earrings - Red Sky (local)
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Snake ring - BC Museum Gift Shop, c. 1986

The earrings are a pain with a mask - it gets caught in the twisty parts - but I continue to suffer for fashion, heh. (*dramatic flourish, hand to the forehead*)


Flashback: Pink Martini Grey Knit Vest

I found this knit vest at Upcycle on my very first visit there - I don't pop in very often as it's a little bit out of my way when I'm doing my downtown stores, but it's thriving so I'm happy for them. I like their model of discounting items that have been lingering for longer than a month (Rich Rags does this too, somewhat erratically), so I was thrilled to pick this up here in November 2019 for a mere $12.50.
I've always been a fan of long-over-long dressing, since I'm short (5'4") and have a tendency to be Darth Sheila. 

I recognized the brand, Pink Martini
I also have this skirt by them that I also bought second-hand.

I wore it right away (as I do) in December 2019. The soft grey colour is an excellent neutral, and matched well with those shoes (Flashback here, although they are no longer in my closet).
I just wore those trousers (Flashback here). The blue silk blouse is still in my wardrobe.

On its second outing in January 2020, I wore the vest over my favourite striped sweater dress for my brother Dave's 50th birthday. 
Unfortunately, the buckles and gewgaws on these boots snagged the crap out of the knit vest, and I was resigned to it being destroyed. 

However, after a stern talking-to-myself, I cleaned up all the snags and gently pulled the stitches back into place, and wore it again in April 2020. 
Not one of my favourite outfits, although in theory, it should have worked. The pants didn't fit right, the blouse sat too low in the cleavage (it's in the giveaway pile now), and I didn't like those shoes. Everything but the vest is gone! 

A much better outfit in September 2020. 
I found that skirt too tricky to match with things (plus it's a couple of sizes too big), so it's also in the giveaway pile. I have to keep culling clothes from my wardrobe if I want to keep shopping! Top Flashbacked here, and shoes here

This is a snuggly-looking outfit from January 2021 - that's a 100% cashmere dress. 
Those are the same shoes as in the first outfit.

This is a total Darth Sheila Boss Lady outfit, don't you think? 
Love those trousers. Top Flashbacked here; shoes here.

And here's the last time I wore this vest, in November 2021.
Same shoes as today. I love that velvet skirt (so slinky). The blouse is Flashbacked here.


Mathy stuff: Today's outfit is the 8th wearing of this vest, so that bring us to $1.56 per wear. Awesome! 

What's your favourite look? Do you have any clothes that make you feel like Darth [your name]?

28 comments:

  1. I love the sleeves on your blouse and all your snakey bits! The longline waistcoat/sleeveless cardi is a fabulous piece, I remember loving it with the cashmere dress and grey shoes when you wore it last year. xxx

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    1. Thanks, Vix! Sometimes the simpler looks are the most effective.

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  2. Your vest is lovely and it was a great layer with this outfit - and the others you've worn it with. I really hope you love the blouse when you get it out again in spring and summer - it's so pretty! :)
    I nearly went into the office earlier in the week. It was predicted to be the hottest day of our heatwave and our aircon broke so while hubby was trying to figure out how to get it working again I was trying to sign into everything to book a spot in the office (while we are asked to work from home it's still open for us if needed). Unfortunately I couldn't get it to register a desk for me to sit at, so I was wondering if I could drive to the nearest library to use their aircon, haha! While hubby doesn't have any rules in place for working from home, we do for working from home and if I couldn't keep the house cool enough I wouldn't have been able to work. Thankfully the aircon came good after a few hours - we think maybe it was hit by lightning during the storms that fried it a bit. Couldn't have worked in the temps the next day without it, phew! I've spoke to my boss about being unable to book a desk too so she's looking into that, in case I decide to go in another day or our aircon breaks again!

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    1. Thanks so much, Mica! I am looking forward to wearing the blouse in spring and early fall.

      Gosh, so sorry to hear of your temp woes! That sounds a lot like my office - we have to use a desk-booking tool too. Good luck!

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  3. Yes, the blouse is nice but I'm transfixed by the skirt. Simple but with perfect design and fit. Ideal, in fact. I dream about wearing a skirt that looks as good as this.

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    1. You could totally rock this type of skirt, Ally! Pencil skirts are not that hard to find.

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  4. My favourite is the vest worn over the black cashmere dress-that's utter perfection. I do love those snake items! What great pieces to have in your collection. Had to laugh at suffering for fashion with earrings and masks-I'm only wearing clips now after nearly ripping my ear lobe off for the umpteenth time.
    Don't have a Darth Goody outfit. Need to work on that.

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    1. It's a simple look, but it works - thanks, Goody! I've lost one earring backing to a mask, but otherwise it hasn't been too hard to wear regular earrings.

      You so need a Darth Goody outfit!

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  5. It's a fabulous piece. I have no clothes that make me feel Darth, but I have been thinking about those that give me cover! I struggle with masks with my warm outdoor hat. I have a specific order that the mask must go on first and secure before the hat.

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    1. Cover is good, especially in the cold, Sam! Yes, I also do mask, then hat. I also have to factor in my (corded) headphones - the earpieces always get tangled in the masks. Ugh.

      Thanks!

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  6. That blouse is so good, but I'm shivering just looking at its sheerness. I don't think a camisole and a sleeveless dress would be enough to keep me warm. Perhaps this just means that my hot flushes have finally upped and left. I can wear jumpers again and all!
    Loving the vest, but hearing you on garments-eating office chairs. Ugh! Oh, and all the snaky bits are making my heart sing ...
    I don't wear earrings but finding it hard enough combining glasses + berets + masks, and making sure my hair doesn't stick out at the sides. Oh why did I have to grow it into a bob? xxx

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    1. Yup, I put it straight into the spring/summer when I got home, Ann - it's too cold to wear in winter! Hooray for the end of hot flashes! Mine have been a bit more bearable, but it might be that the weather is cold. :)

      Thanks! Yes, long skirts are chair food too.

      It looks lovely as a bob! Just say 'screw it' and go with messy hair - that's what I do! :-P

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  7. Love the blue blouses and the velvet skirt! What a snaky day! Impressed by your snake collection!

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  8. This look with the best is the best one in my eyes. And those shoes!!! I'm druling. I always layer a lot underneath too. I shay's wear, in the winter, a camisole and over that a basic top with long sleeves. And then the sweater or a blouse with a cardigan. I look a lot thinner in summer, lol. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thanks, Nancy! They are awesome shoes. :) Layering is essential in winter, isn't it? Lol, I look thinner in summer too!

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  9. This is such a sexy look! As you would have thought, I love this outfit.
    Greetje

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  10. That skirt is fantastic- a very attractive outfit.

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  11. Such a beautiful, stylish, downright awesome outfit!

    The length of that fantastic Pink Martini vest is making me hope all the more that circa Y2K and early 2000s dusters and long vests like this will make a serious comeback soon. They were some of my most reached for pieces back then and I have no doubt they would be again, if I had more in my closet.

    I wonder, did people wear them to rags or are they still keeping them in their closets, as it is genuinely rare for me to find a true circa Y2K duster or long vest while thrifting around these parts - despite their intense popularity there for a good while.

    Nevertheless, the hunt continues and, if need be, one can always venture onto the ol' interwebs and try to score a bargain there.

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

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    1. I so agree, Autumn - I am a big fan of the "dusters" and long jackets and vests of the Y2K era. I hope we start seeing them in the second-hand shops, as some of them were awesome. I suspect a lot of people are still hanging onto those old pieces - after all, 2000 wasn't that long ago (when you're in your 50s!). And they are much in demand now, so likely snapped up if they make to a resale site online.

      Good luck in your hunting!

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  12. Love your vest, and how fabulously it frames an outfit, it's totally an enhancing piece!. Your blouse is amazing and love all the jewellery, the matchy shoes and the fab style!
    Totally agree that office chairs are evil monsters that eat maxi skirts and even floaty trousers (and have caused some stupid accidents too!. I'm clumsy!)
    besos

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    1. Thanks! It's a great piece, although I would like to upgrade it to a better quality long vest.

      They are! It's not us being clumsy, it's the evil chairs!

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