Monday, February 28, 2022

Cowgirl Boots, Flamenco Flashback and Badass Bag Art Project Pt 2

I picked up my new-to-me cowgirl boots from the cobbler on the weekend, having had them re-soled with non-slip rubber, and the hard plastic heel caps swapped for high-density rubber. Of course, I had to wear them right away!
I don't have a ton of turquoise or teal in my winter wardrobe - it's more of a spring/summer colour for me - but I managed to find enough in my accessories to incorporate the boots. 

  • Blazer - Le Chateau, consignment; last worn here in January with pink and bronze
  • Copper lame (lah-MAY!) top - thrifted, no tags, not tracked
  • Flamenco skirt - handmade, consignment; last seen here in January with my Tsarina vest
  • Boots - Donald J. Pliner, c. 2000, consignment; purchased here for $128.00
  • Leather trenchcoat (below) - vintage 70s, thrifted; last worn here last week

I started with this black skirt as a good neutral base. It's very much a flamenco-inspired shape, with a big rise at the front, and a mullet hem in the back. We'll have a wee Flashback on it shortly to see all the ways I've previously worn it.
The skirt also has gold fabric lining, so it toned well with the browns in the boots, and overall had a nice cowgirl vibe that I'm a fan of. 

My cream brocade blazer is a firm favourite, and it balanced the cream canvas of the boots.
I've had it for 10 years, and this is its 33rd outing. The top underneath is a black sleeveless sweater, woven with copper threads; it adds more of the brown tones, also blending it in with the boots. 

All profesh from the back. 
I belted over the blazer - this was a look I was huge into curing the early days of my blog ("it was the fashion at the time"), and have come back around to after eschewing it for the past 10-ish years.

Masked up in a caramel print. 
When I was on a Teams call, my colleague noticed my turquoise fur brooch. 

Outerwear. We are experiencing another "atmospheric river". 
Rain. Rain. Rain. Rainrainrain. Did I mention we have lots of rain? 

Accoutrements: 
I always prefer a hat over an umbrella. 

  • Hat - Edward Mann, vintage 60s, thrifted
  • Silk scarf - vintage fair
  • Gloves - Parkhurst
  • Mask - Lazy Susan's

The stuff: 
Ah, there they are, in all their glory. These boots were a pleasure to wear all day in the office - I showed them off to every person I saw, including hauling my leg up on my desk to show them on my Teams calls! They cost $75.00 to have the soles/heels replaced, but it's worth every penny. I can't wait to wear them again! 

Mismatched bling: 
Look at me, mixing all my metals. Oops, I forgot to take my pinky ring off. 

  • Earrings - consignment
  • Copper/turquoise cuff - Bell Trading Post, vintage 60s, consignment, Powell River
  • Bronze/turquoise cuff - Myka, consignment
  • Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Amber ring - c. 1996
  • Bronze pinky ring (not shown) - P. Sarpaneva, vintage 1970s, vintage expo
  • Belt - Emmanuel, vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Fur brooch - Catawumpus
  • Bar brooch - Fairweather, c. 1987
Seven out of 10 of my "bling" accessories have a shade of turquoise in them. And THAT is how you add colour to an outfit! 


Flashback: Flamenco Skirt

I bought this skirt at House of Savoy on a Saturday afternoon here back in September 2019, for $38.00. I am a bit of a black skirt collector, but I won't just settle for any ol' black skirt. It has to have a special element to it. 
It wasn't hard to see that this skirt would be swoosh-tacular, and I loved the high-low hemline. It's sewn in angled strips that coil around the body, giving it a lot of movement. 

Even the lining has a pretty little ruffle. 
I suspect that it was handmade for/by a dancer - it's such a Flamenco shape, that I'm sure someone must have danced in it. 

I wore it right away in October 2019, pairing it with more favourites. 
Both the jacket and shoes have had the Flashback treatment previously (jacket here, shoes here)

This was a shopping outfit in February 2020. 
I have a thin green sweater underneath, and that's my spectacular Rodarte for Opening Ceremony Ringmaster jacket (Flashback here). The shoes are workhorses - Flashback here - and have been worn a LOT. 

Another outerwear look from January 2021. Sometimes my outerwear is fancier than the base "real clothes" layer! 
My patent leather Burberry bronze jacket is a favourite (Flashback here). 

I debuted my Snake Jacket in October 2021, and chose this skirt (and my other cowboy boots, Flashback here) to help show it off. 
I need to wear that jacket again soon! 

And here's the last time I wore it, in January with my Tsarina coat for a Mom-Day Adventure at Swan Lake. 
I love that this skirt can skew cowgirl, frilly or tough, depending on what I wear with it. 

Mathy stuff: I have only worn this skirt 6 times so far, but I haven't owned it very long - and it does only come out to play for fall/winter. I'm at a very respectable $6.33 per wear so far, and I look forward to many more outfits! 


How do you feel about swooshy skirts? Are you a fan? 


Art Project: Badass Bag - Part 2

Part 1 of my Badass Bag is here if you missed it.

I am really enjoying working on this bag in spare moments. I like the smaller size (compared to a jacket) as I can sit on the couch with my blanket on and some music and tea and spend an hour or more comfortably. Vizzini sits on my lap - I rest the bag on his back while I'm working on it. Doesn't that sound awesome? 
My brain just melts away and I get into the details. I started from the top and worked down on the front, darkening up lines, adding shading and outlines. 

I realized quickly that "Lady" needed the extra illusion piece drawn on the flap so that the front looks like a single surface. 
Front done! It's going to look so cool once it's coloured. 

Under the flap - who's that? Boss Lady! 
As with all of my pieces, I make mistakes...and then let 'em go. I accidentally coloured in one entire S. 

I have a tiny bit left on the other side of the bag, but here's what the sides will look like. 
In case you were wondering, I am going to do something on the back of the bag...but it's a secret! I'll reveal it in due time, heh heh. 

24 comments:

  1. Love those cowboy boots, Sheila. As always, I enjoy watching your projects develop, and am looking forward to more artwork on your bag. XO

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    1. Thanks, Cynthia! I am also excited to see the bag progress!

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  2. The flamenco skirt is fabulous, and I love these ways you have styled it. The blazer from your first look is beautiful. Love your work on the bag. I can't wait to see the finished project.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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    1. Thanks, Lovely! That blazer is all embroidered, so pretty. Aw, thanks! I hope to finish it in the next couple of weeks.

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  3. I *think* you have a recently bobbed hair style, or else it is just looking that way to me. In any case, I am admiring the look! I haven't ventured out for a professional cut in well over 3 years and have dealt with unruly length on my own. Sometimes for better; sometimes for not-so-better. ;-)

    The boots are a visual treat and I am glad they were comfortable to wear. I am not a fan of uneven hems for my own wearing but you manage to wear them with panache and I admire most of yours.

    Oh my, ditto what Cynthia and Lovely said about the bag project. I thoroughly enjoy, appreciate, and swoon over your hand drawn creations. To be able to create customized wearable objects that wind up being functional art is an impressive skill. I can fully understand how it feels meditative, and then there is the added wonder of Vizzini joining you on your lap…

    One last comment about my commenting. ;-) This morning I concluded that my iPad being persnickety about posting my comments is actually a good thing. As I have usually been awake and seated in the same chair for an hour, getting up to relocate to post via my laptop makes for a healthy change of seat, position, room, all more healthy than staying in the same seat for more than 60 minutes! So, once again, your blog is an inspiration. :-)

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    1. It's growing out from a very drastic mullet cut my newest hairdresser gave me in the fall, Laurie. It was too short for my taste, so now it's growing out again - I like being able to clip it up and currently don't have that option. My haircuts are the only "self care" service I do - no nails or waxing or any of that stuff - and I enjoy keeping my hairstyle current.

      They were wonderfully comfy to wear - I'm really happy with them. It depends on the hem for me - I'll take each skirt as it comes.

      Thank you! I have offered this to all of my "in person" friends, but if you have a leather (preferred) or PVC (less preferred) garment, purse, or shoes that you think would look good decorated, I'd love to do it for you! Send me pictures, then ship it to me - I'll art it up and ship it back. :) I would love to do this for you (same goes for any of my other regulars who happen to read this).

      It really is a meditative experience, and an extra-sweet treat to have Vizzini keeping me company.

      Well, good for you! I'm glad to have inspired you to move positions, lol.

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    2. I feel the same way about wanting to be able to clip up my hair; for me it's the last action of doing something with it when all else fails. ;-) Your comment about "self care" service reminds me how enjoyable it was to get a professional cut. Felt like spa service for my head!

      Holy molies, your offer is generous and appreciated! I do not have leather clothing or outer wear but do have a leather bag or two and several thin belts. However, I am in the market for a wider leather belt. When I find one, if a belt is amenable to your creative eye, that's what I would send along. Come to think of it, I also have leather shoes, and am thinking of a pair that could work. To be continued as I ponder…

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    3. Cool - find something you like and think you'd like to see decorated, and drop me an email w/a few pictures. If you have any ideas of what you'd like (colour, motif or theme) and I'll see what I can do. I'll do anything! :)

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  4. You definitely do those boots justice, they look fantastic on you and with that skirt! :) The belted blazer is such a good look on you too!

    I cannot believe how awesome your bag looks already - can't wait to see more as you progress with it, you are so talented with these projects! :)

    Hope the rain dries up for you soon! We were flooded in all weekend but the flood waters have gone down now which is nice. We got 80% of our annual rainfall in 3 days, it was rough. We are just hoping that the predicted rain later in the week doesn't arrive, we are sure we would be flooded in again if it did.

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    1. Thanks so much, Mica! I really enjoy these projects - they don't tire me out, they're easy and they turn out beautiful! What more could I ask for?

      Eek, right back at you! We experienced those kinds of floods late last year and they are just a nightmare. Sending you good vibes!

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  5. All of these outfits are amazing! The purse looks awesome already, I can't wait to see the finished project. Have a great day!!!

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  6. I just can't take my eyes off the boots, so bear with me until I've admired them to my heart's content! I'm loving the outfit you created for their maiden voyage, in particular the flamenco-style skirt, which really allows the boots to shine. Loving the mismatched bling too!
    The bag is going to be amazing, I can't wait to see the finished project and your secret plans for the back ... xxx

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    1. Ha ha, I hope you had a really good look at them, Ann! Thank you so much - I was really happy with how the skirt went with the boots.

      I'm excited to finish it. I need to do some research on the back design first, but that's getting closer.

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  7. Great addition and boots are well worth resoling. My husband worked in the woods and his boots were so expensive. We always had them resoled. Love the outfits. By the way here in rural Idaho, an outfit is what you are driving. Usually a pickup.

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    1. I often see perfectly good shoes in the thrift stores that just need a trip to a cobbler to restore them to their glory - I'm glad you save and do that with your husband's boots, Kim.

      Lol, really, I have never heard "outfit" used that way! Thanks for the education! :)

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  8. Looking forward to seeing the bag when finished - I really like the wording you chose for the embellishment. It's nice that Vizzini allows you to use his back as a work surface ;)

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    1. I'm excited, although stalled a bit on the back-side.

      I love that Vizzini let me do that. :)

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  9. You don't waste time! I admire that. Most of us, when we acquire a project like these boots, put them aside with good intentions and then, three years later, wonder why we didn't fix them earlier. :)

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    1. I don't believe in saving things "for good" use - whether it's clothing, shoes or fine china. Things are meant to be used!

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  10. I can't wait to see that bag in all it's glory! It's looking exciting already!
    Those boots are fabulous and I love the shape of that skirt with them. xxx

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    1. I'm excited to finish it - I want to work on one of my new jackets now! Thanks so much, Vix!

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  11. Never have cowboy boots been styled more gorgeously! This outfit is a shining example of your incredible - and immensely creative - fashion sense. Bold, beautiful and utterly unforgettable. J' adore!!!

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

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Sheila