Friday, April 29, 2022

The Anxious Red Leopard

Hello, my friends and welcome back. My anxiety has been flaring up lately - you may have noticed that I haven't been responding to comments for a while - and yesterday was a rough one for me. I found out that I'd been exposed to someone with Covid, and that sent me into a spiral of stress. I went from that feeling of being panicked and scared (hello, March 2020), to a state of high anxiety. 

I've been lucky to avoid being touched by the pandemic directly (aside from that Christmas adventure here), so this was a shock to me. After talking with L, who is so good at calming me down and helping me think rationally, I slowly de-escalated myself back to a low-simmer stress. 

But it did mean I had to cancel the planned Mom-Day Adventure yesterday - I didn't have any rapid tests on hand, and had to go get some - due to not wanting to put Mom at risk if I tested positive. I've since had two negative tests (hooray!), and am feeling no symptoms, so I should be fine although I have to continue daily tests until I go back to work on Monday.

I spent Thursday trying not to eat my stress (semi-successful) and to do things to lower my anxiety (cuddles with Vizzini, work on my art, napping), and today I popped into the office very briefly to do a few urgent things and then took a sick day. Today is definitely a Mental Health Day!
Instead of slouching to town in my house clothes, I made an effort and put on the next best thing: my red leopard denim suit. 

  • Suit jacket - Smashed Lemon; last worn here with the pants in November 2021
  • Vest - Religion, consignment; last seen here over the Dalmatian dress in March 
  • Pants - Smashed Lemon; last worn here in January for that missed Christmas in December 2021
  • T-shirt - not tracked, gift from Casey
  • Shoes - Mephisto, thrifted, not tracked

The t-shirt is from Duthie Books, a long-gone awesome bookstore from Vancouver. I'll be wearing it all day and sleeping in it tonight! 
I layered the long black vest for badassery and extra pockets.

Added the jacket/blazer over that. Voila! 
I look dressed up, but this is very much Clothing As Armour. No one look at the stressed-out woman!

The pants are stretchy and very comfy. 
All this red made me feel better, more confident and in charge. I'm faking it from the outside in. 

Masked up: 
With two negative tests under my belt, I'm safer than many of the people I saw, although I didn't interact face-to-face with anyone. 

Accoutrement-ed and incognito. 
Just enough to dash out and come home again and hide from the world.  

The stuff: 
The shiny sneakers are my spring/summer walking-to-work shoes; back into the closet they go. 

  • Scarf - fake Louis (Lewis!) Vuitton, thrifted
  • Belt - gift from Ruth
  • Gloves - Echo
  • White gold hoops - 10th anniversary gift from L
  • Mask (not shown) - by Mom

Anyway, I hope you all understand my need to step back a bit and take care of myself. I'm not going to stop posting, and I am trying to visit all my favourite bloggers and comment on their posts. I will respond to questions in comments if I can, but by giving myself permission to not respond to every single one means I have more time to deal with my mental health. I do read each and every comment, and I thank you all so much - they mean a lot!

I will be back later this weekend - we actually have a jam-packed schedule, which is going to proceed as originally planned - with tales of adventure.  
"Mine is the only tail you need, Woman. Come cuddle with me."


Purr Therapy works - he's been happy to have me home (and I've been keeping him off my knee!). 
"I prefer my blanket, anyway."


Take care of yourselves, first and foremost, my friends! Wishing you a weekend of calm blue skies.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Casual Snakeskin and Farewell Studs Flashback

I had to do some physical work in the office today, so casual pants and flat shoes were in order. These satin joggers/harem pants did the trick.
It's a rare showing of all neutrals from me; I added some interest with this snakeskin wrap top. 

  • Top - Diane Von Furstenberg, consignment; first worn here in January with giant pants
  • Trousers - Lady Dutch, thrifted; last seen here in September 2021 with florals and a vest
  • Shoes - Seychelles, thrifted; last worn here in August 2021 for a Mom-Day Adventure in Sidney
  • Coat (below) - River Island, consignment; last seen here in March

The top is a silk knit by Diane Von Furstenberg (classy!) and I'm wearing an olive green cami under it.
The satin trousers are so comfy, good for a lot of bending and stretching and climbing up and down ladders and hauling chairs around. 

I like that they have deep pockets and a matte stripe down the outsides of the legs, which you can see near my hand in the stair pic above.
I've waffled on them a few times over the years, but I'm at around 10 wearings of them - considering they were only $6.95 to begin with, that's very good.

I also tend to spill on them every single time I wear them.
Thank goodness they are machine wash/dry. 

Masked up. 
Another snakeskin print! 

Vizzini was lurking around while I did my pics this morning, so I grabbed him for some forced lovin'. 
"I will not look at the camera!"


He's quite happy to get a cuddle, though he kept trying to bite my long, dangly earrings. 

Outerwear. 
Another snakeskin print! I've kind of gone overboard on the snakeskin lately...

Accoutrements. 
Neutral-o-rama! 

  • Scarf - fake Louis (Lewis!) Vuitton, thrifted
  • Gloves - Danier Leather
  • Mask - by Mom

The stuff: 
I was sad to discover that these shoes have ripped and have a hole in them on the back of one heel.
They are not repairable, so we'll say farewell to my little studded friends in a Flashback shortly. 

Silver bling: 
I'm quite fond of all of these. 

  • Lucite/silver bracelet - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Vancouver
  • Etched silver cuff - vintage, thrifted, Powell River
  • Silver bangle - Lazy Susan's
  • Earrings - gift from Lise
  • Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower
  • Smoky topaz/silver ring - Anneli Neumann, Sweden, vintage mall


Flashback: Seychelles Studded Strappy Flats

I used to go shopping nearly every weekend in the Before Times - I've cut down a bit over the last couple of years - and found  these shoes at the big WIN store here in November 2018 in new condition for $19.99.
They are leather with wee metal studs, and have some nice squishy padding inside. 
The wee buckles have always been finicky - I try not to wear these shopping! 

Not a lick of wear on them. 
Of course, I snapped them up. Brand new shoes for 20 bucks? Duh!

Although I usually wear my new-to-me things immediately, these got stashed in with my spring/summer items, so my first outfit with them was in April 2019.
That's the one and only wearing of those pants, and I believe that may have been the last sighting of that orange top - I remember disliking this look. I still have the blazer. 

I just gave away this magenta blazer recently (having paid a whopping $4.99 for it, I have no regrets).
Do I still have that dress? I think I may have let it go as well. Things are tighter on me lately (thank you, menopause/pandemic). This outfit is from May 2019.

I paired the shoes with this luscious purple velvet Betsey Johnson dress in July 2019.
I used to wear these shoes on really busy days in the office, when I was on my feet nearly all day. 

Another all-neutral outfit, also from July 2019. The top was Helmut Lang and ripped when it caught on one of the office doors, sadly ruining it. 
And I gave the skirt to my colleague Flavia. This outfit is also from July 2019. 

I went shopping with one of my former WW members in September 2019. 
You'll recognize the skirt and denim vest - the tee is long gone. 

Oh, must be the pandemic - I have pink hair! This was in May 2020.
I nearly wore that Jean Paul Gaultier cardigan again today! I'm repeating the arm-party (the bracelets) today, as well as the trousers. 

Later in May, I wore them for a pandemic park party - the pink in my hair faded out quickly, and I have yesterday's Lanvin scarf worn as a headband. 
I love that orange jumpsuit. 

I passed along this denim dress/vest in my big giveaway earlier this month - I couldn't do the snaps up in front anymore and wasn't feeling it. I also let go of the blouse (crap quality) but I still have the skirt (vintage, superb quality).
This is a work outfit from July 2020.

I last wore these shoes for a Mom-Day Adventure in Sidney in August 2021 (here, enjoy) - I remember it was such a lovely hot (26 degrees!) day.
I actually bought a replacement pair of neutral flats recently (these ones here) and was *this close* to wearing them today (I felt it was a bit too much snakeskin!), but those will be my new go-to. 

Mathy stuff: Well, farewell little studded shoes! I wore them 10 times, which is a nice round number, bringing me to $2.00 per wear. Awesome. 


Vizzini, come on, say hello to your fans. 
"Only if I get a kitty treat."

Not gonna happen, bud. 

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Regret-Me-Not Palm Tree Skirt

I need to book myself in for a session of outfit-making in my closet; I've run out of pre-done looks and have some items I need to plan for. Like this palm tree printed ruffled wrap-around skirt, for instance.
It's one I hauled out of the giveaway pile a few weeks ago. Will it be a regret-me-not and return to my closet, or will it go back to the giveaway pile? 

  • Shirt - Yest; last seen here in March with green stripes
  • Skirt - Scotch & Soda, consignment; purchased and first worn here (2nd outfit) in July 2020!
  • Boots - Rockport, thrifted; last seen here earlier this month with roses and suede
  • Coat (below) - Danier Leather, consignment; last worn here in December 2021

In case you're still reeling in shock from seeing me in a plain white shirt, I have done this before. 
Um, at least once! See - here, in February 2018, with a different skirt, but same formula, basically. 

Mostly, I defaulted to a white shirt because this skirt's pattern is tricky to match with. Aside from brown, it's orange, peach, with a bit of yellow/chartreuse, and the palm tree pattern says "summer" to me. 
I only wore this skirt once - ONCE - before chucking it into the giveaway pile. Why? I really disliked the one and only outfit I wore it with, and then it sat in the closet as I struggled to put things with it. 

Masked up.
I thought these boots were the right call with the high-low mullet hem. Maybe it's a fall item? But it's a palm tree print! I struggle! 

Outerwear - I also really liked the skirt with this bright orange leather jacket. 
It's a very full, swooshy wrap-around skirt, but it stayed done up, even in high winds on the walk home!

Incognito and locked and loaded. 
It drives me nuts that this coat doesn't have external pockets - it has one internal one, but it's hard to get to when the coat's done up, grrr. However, that colour…I forgive the lack of pockets.

Accoutrements: 
My classy vintage designer scarf. 

  • Scarf - Lanvin, vintage 70s, consignment
  • Gloves - Ralph Lauren
  • Mask - by Mom
The perfect set of colours. 

The stuff: 
My knee was better today, but I did less physical work. These boots are practically flats - very comfy. 

Copper bling: 
One of my small collection of belt buckles worked perfectly with the skirt. 

  • Belt - Leather World
  • Buckle - Shi Studio, thrifted
  • Cuff - Matisse by Renoir, vintage 60s, vintage fair
  • Bracelet - Renoir, vintage 60s, thrifted
  • Necklace/earrings - Matisse by Renoir, vintage 60s, vintage expo
  • Thin copper ring - Glee
  • Copper ring - vintage, consignment

And so...am I keeping the skirt after all? Yes, I am. I'll try to make another outfit with it later when the weather it hotter, and it might work well in late September. I'm glad I took it back - regret-me-not! 

Monday, April 25, 2022

Murder Mystery Dress

Today's outfit features this awesome dress that I picked up on a recent shopping trip. 
It reminds me of Clue (the boardgame and/or movie), Gloom (a card game) and Edward Gorey (a fabulous illustrator/writer). 

  • Dress - Scotch & Soda by Maison Scotch, consignment; purchased here for $79.99
  • Shoes - Aldo, thrifted; last seen here in July 2021 with blush ruffles
  • Coat (below) - Tadmor, vintage 60s, vintage mall; last worn here earlier this month

I'm a walking murder mystery! You can check the link above to see pictures of the four unique panels of people in their "ateliers". 
It's such an unusual print - it's massive and yet really detailed. The black on the sleeves and wrap-front help ground it.

I helped anchor the massive print with my giant blue rose belt. 
The skirt is very lightly pleated - this isn't a full skirt at all. Would have been nice if it had POCKETS, ahem, Maison Scotch...

Incognito outerwear. 
It's been gradually getting warmer over the past week, but it's still cold in the mornings. Leather weather! 

Accoutrements: 
I wrapped the scarf three times around my throat and knotted it. It matched the dress print perfectly! 

  • Silk scarf - Anne Klein, vintage 80s, thrifted; purchased here for $6.95
  • Gloves - Parkhurst
  • Mask - by Mom

The stuff: 
I'd planned on wearing a higher heel, but I have a cat-related knee issue (he likes to sleep on my legs), so I grabbed these low red strappy cloth shoes. 

Bold bling: 
I needed some of my boldest pieces to stand out against the Murder Mystery Dress! 

  • Belt - Rohesia Belt, Fluevog; last worn here in February
  • Pendant - Miracle, Charmaine's
  • Cuff - thrifted; purchased here for $7.95
  • Earrings - Tania Gleave, Vancouver
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Silver/enamel ring - antique store, Sidney

Are you a fan of bold patterns? 

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Brunch Jumpsuit and Fluevog Sample Sale, Garden Party Bronze, and Sunday Thrifting

Welcome back, my friends! I've had a busy weekend - it's like the Before Times! We did brunch, took a look at the one-day Fluevog Sample Sale (um, I may have bought some shoes), went to a garden party for a friend's birthday, and I took my colleague Lindsay shopping on Sunday. Whew! I haven't had a weekend this packed in a couple of years. 

Grab a cup of whatever libation you prefer, and join me! 

Our Ultimate Frisbee season was supposed to start this weekend, but we didn't have enough affirmative responses to play, so L and I joined Nick for brunch at the Ruby. 
Since we were in the neighbourhood, after brunch we popped down to Lower Johnson Street to check out the Sample Sale at Fluevog. Oh, it was a doozy! 

  • Jumpsuit - Zara, consignment; last worn here in July 2021 with copper stuff
  • Shoes - Groovy Aubrey, Fluevog; last seen here in March with a statement skull scarf
  • Coat (below) - Kimchi Blue; last worn here in October 2021 for brunch

I love this jumpsuit - it's fun to wear and I like the dark floral pattern. 
I am always surprised that it's Zara. 

I have a plain black cami on under it - that's a deep slash in the back. 
Since I knew I'd be trying on shoes at Fluevog, I had to wear a pair of their shoes that I could slip off and on. 

Outerwear - we had a sunny but windy day. 
Perfect for the faux fur of the Yeti jacket to waft in the breeze. 

Accoutrements:
  • Gloves - consignment
  • Mask (not shown) - by Mom

I was in a hurry in the morning, so no picture of the outerwear bits. 

The stuff:
Such comfy shoes! In addition to standing in line at the Ruby for 30 minutes (Victoria's big 10K race was this weekend, back after 2 years, and the city was full of people), we also stood in line outside the Fluevog store for another half hour, as they limited the number of people in the store to 20 at a time. 

Orange bling: 
Old favourites. 

  • Belt - vintage 80s, thrifted
  • Orange plastic cuff/ring - Italian, vintage 60s, vintage mall
  • Wooden earrings - vintage expo
  • Brown bangles - vintage, Lazy Susan's
  • Hinged bangles - thrifted
  • Steel/Lucite ring - Calvin Klein, thrifted

Yes, L and I both bought shoes at Fluevog! We'd been to a sample sale many years ago at their Granville, Vancouver store, but this was a whole 'nother ball-game. They had HUNDREDS of pairs of shoes, not just in the main sample sizes (women's size 7, men's size 10), but in every size. Some of them were obviously deadstock (unsold new pairs) from past seasons, and some were new! 

L bought two pairs of lace-up brogues - one in tones of blue, and a plainer pair in black. Regardless of regular retail, all shoes were $179.00, all ankle boots were $199.00 and all tall boots were $249.00, for both men's and women's (many of their styles are gender-neutral anyway).

These mid-calf boots are a limited edition colourway of the Jubilee Gladstone boots, released for pre-order in December 2020 for the 50th anniversary of Fluevog (press release here, all links 'cause I love).
These originally retailed for $449.00, but were $199.00. Such a deal! 

There were tons of these, so I guess that anniversary edition wasn't a huge seller in December 2020. 
Not many folks were looking for velvet and brocade plush bronze boots in the middle of the pandemic, unfortunately. 

If the fabric on these looks familiar, it's because I have these shoes here in the same material. 
That's a very comfy heel - these immediately felt like I'd owned them for years. 
They came with a pair of brown laces, but I prefer the custom black and gold JF woven laces. 
That's a nice rubber sole. 

Beautiful detail on the grommet. 
"Let's be thankful." You can see the rich texture of the fabric there - yes, the pink is soft fluffy velvet!

I'd admired these shoes online years ago, but it never really got to the point where I had to have them - I don't think I ever tried them on. 
I seldom buy plain black shoes - you know me, if I'm going to have a pair of black shoes, they'd better be special! 

In addition to the leather/patent uppers and triple adjustable buckles, these slingbacks have a surprise heel. 
Wow! These are called the Estefan Entity, and they retailed for $539.00, then got marked down to $239.00 (they currently show as sold out online, but this is the original link here). 

The heel and plate attaching it to the last are metal. 
The cantilevered heel doesn't look stable, but it's perfectly balanced - this isn't tippy or insecure at all. 

A signature on the sole. 
The white bits are where I peeled the size sticker off (poorly). 

"Celebrate your independence." 
I will! 

These had a sticker inside - they're from the spring/summer 2020 collection.
These were $179.00. 

To my utter shock, my new boots were in the sample sale!! 
They are identical to my blue Official Sabado boots (pic here), purchased at full price with $600 in gift cards (and I still paid extra on top of that!). 

I guess they over-ordered the black ones, or underestimated the demand for them? 
I was dubious, but L encouraged me: "You're going to regret it if you don't buy those."

For $249.00, regular $649 (they are still for sale at full price online, here)? 
Of course, I bought them! He was totally right. 

Flush with our whirlwind of chaos in the store (it was seriously NUTS - people were buying dozens of pairs at a time!), L popped into Ditch Records for Record Day, and I had a quick browse in Dots. 
This silver/black/grey skirt appealed to me. 

It's sequined and then printed with a random animal pattern over the sequins. 
It was made in Italy.
It's by Lauren Vidal, and was marked down to $9.99. 
Regular retail would have been $172.50. Even if I only wear this a couple of times, it's a deal. 

I've seen a few fashionistas doing the padded shoulder top, a reappearing trend in the past year. 
This shiny top will be a good neutral with some of my fancier skirts. 

It was $25.99. 
The colour is champagne - it reads as both gold and silver. 

It's by Culture. 
It will be useful. 

With not even enough time for a nap after our exhausting day of standing in line and shopping, we got ready to go to Mac and Petra's place for Mac's birthday party. 
We weren't quite sure what to expect, but dressed up. Of course, I had to wear a pair of my new Fluevogs! 

  • PANK jacket - Gap, consignment, Vancouver; last worn here in February with a pouffy skirt
  • Blouse - Tatum & Olivia, consignment; last seen here earlier this month with a profesh look
  • Skirt - Ralph Lauren, consignment; last worn here in January with pink and brocade
  • Boots - Jubilee Gladstone; purchased above for $199.00

With the jacket off (and my bra straps exposed). 
We spent the entire early-to mid-evening outside, and I was FREEZING - I did not take my jacket off. 

Swooshing my bronze pleated silk skirt. 
"Wait, you're going out again?"


I layered a vintage slip under all of this and wore nylons. 
The jacket is wool, but thin. 

My boots were a hit. 
As usual, L and I were the most dressy of everyone there. 

Incognito. At the last minute, I added my silk Fluevog scarf and a pair of cashmere-lined leather gloves. 
I ended up wearing them all night. 

Since the event started early, we decided to drive over - I quickly changed to my Movie Star Wrap. 
It's top-down weather for our convertible! 

Accoutrements: 
  • Scarf - Fluevog
  • Gloves - Danier

The stuff: 
I wore workout socks, but my feet were still frozen. These boots were overall excellent, though - so comfy, and that is a really easy and sturdy heel. 

Gold bling:
A few simple things. 

  • Belt - Club Monaco, thrifted
  • Necklace - Givenchy, vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Earrings - thrifted
  • Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Gold/amethyst ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's

After a lovely catered dinner out in our friends' backyard, we huddled around fire pits with blankets. By 9:30pm, we were tired and cold, so left early to come home, warm up and play boardgames. We both reeked of wood-smoke.

On Sunday, I was up bright and early to meet up with my work-friend, Lindsay, for a shop at the big WIN store downtown. 
Of course, I had to wear my new boots! They're amazing! 

  • Sweater - Bleu Grey, thrifted; last worn here in February layered
  • Skirt - Tatum & Olivia, consignment; last seen here in September 2021 with red leopard
  • Boots - Original Sabado, Fluevog; purchased above for $249.00
  • Coat - Danier Leather; last worn here earlier this month

I didn't take my leather coat off at all, but here's a look at the outfit anyway.
I have a couple of plain black sweaters, specifically for busy skirts like this. They're just handy. 

The skirt itself is silk, and all those lines are actually strips of fabric that are woven and then stitched down over a black lining. 
It's weirdly very large in the waist, so I have the sides safety-pinned. Klassy! 

I walked home like this - it was 13 degrees out! 
I like non-bulky layers when I shop so that they don't get in the way. 

Masked up - WIN requests them, and I'm happy to comply. 
I can't stop looking at my boots. They make me so happy. I'm gonna wear these until I'm 90! 

Done up. 
I walked downtown like this. 

Incognito.
I've been using my Badass Bag all weekend. 

Accoutrements: 
Small pieces that I can stash in my purse while I shop. 

  • Scarf - fake Louis (Lewis!) Vuitton, thrifted
  • Gloves - Danier
  • Mask - by Mom

The stuff:
A+, Best Black Boots ever! 

  • Earrings - consignment

I arrived at Women In Need (WIN) early, and pawed through all the purses, scarves, jewelry and vintage sections before Lindsay got there. She is shifting to working at home, so needed things to fit that lifestyle. We spent an hour and a half going through things, pulling items out for her feedback, and refining what she liked/disliked. We ended up with a Banana Republic tweed moto-style jacket, a pair of cropped leggings, a pair of casual shoes, about 4 tops, a tunic, two dresses and a big fluffy red bathrobe, all for $150.00 total. She was thrilled and it felt so good to help her find all these things that she will actually wear and enjoy. 

I did find a few things for myself, of course! 
While the colour (taupe) is a little on the bland side for my taste, this is a gorgeous purse. 

It's a good size, and tucks under my arm against my body well. I always appreciate an external pocket - good for keys or a bus ticket. 
I usually do a cross-body bag for my daily use, so I might end up decorating this and giving it away. 

The bottom.
It's a good size, will hold a lot. The inside has the usual two small pockets and a zippered pocket for your wallet.

Oh, it's Danier. 
And yup, it is real leather, lovely, thick and supple. 

For $24.95? That is dirt cheap for a good quality leather bag! 
Danier's bags are in the $200+ range. 

As always, I comb the jewelry section. 
This metal and enamel cuff caught my eye. I like the red - this will go with a lot. 

It's rather roughly made. I'm guessing it's a tourist piece from India - Vix, do you concur? 
It was only $7.95. 

It looks good on. 
I'll keep it until I find an upgrade. 

I am not usually drawn to gold chains, or gold-tone, as the case may be. 
But this has nice weight and I like the link pattern. It's long enough to loop twice around my neck for a short double-chain look.

And it's stamped "Monet", so I know it's good quality costume jewelry, likely from the 70s or 80s, based on the chain style. 
About Monet here (a good history of the brand). This was also $7.95.

I found a nice silk black and red scarf (one of my favourite colour combos).
It's a long narrow scarf - I like the paisley pattern, which is one of those ageless prints that never looks dated. 

This was only $6.95 and is by Anne Klein. 
The content tag is missing, but I'm sure it's silk. The edges are machine-stitched and the style is 80s, so it's likely vintage. 

I spotted this scarf in a bin while we were in line to pay. I love the black, white and yellow mix. 
Toes for scale. 

I noted right away that it's intended to be worn as a triangle, with two options. 
This is the "yellow-forward" option, where the yellow is the dominant colour. 

The opposite side is black-forward. 
The yellow is only a highlight colour here. Neat! 

This was only $8.95, and still has its tag, noting that it's 100% silk and made in Italy. 
You can see the good quality of the print - it's crisp on both sides of the scarf. The edges are also hand-rolled and sewn. This is likely from the 1960s. 

I bought a sweater for wearing around the house. 
It's a thick ribbing and very stretchy. I love the uneven edges all over - even on the sleeve cuffs. 

I knew L would say it looks like a straightjacket in the back (he did). 
I wouldn't wear this style in my "in public" clothes, but I like it for around the house. 

It's by Cabi, which is a good quality brand, and it's 100% cotton, so it will wear and wash well. 
The punch in the tag means it was half price, so $12.48. 

Another pair of leggings - what's getting into me? 
These are also for around the house (weekends only). They are a thick faux leather - they feel like butter-soft suede. 

They're by Catherine Malandrino, which I know is an expensive brand. 
I'm sure they were more than $7.48, which is what I paid. 

As we can't try things on, I took a risk on these wine-coloured Boss Lady pants. 
They are extremely swooshy, have pockets, a high waits and a sash belt. 

A better look. 
The colour is pretty close to that. 

They are by Contemporaine, and were only $8.48. 
Happily, they fit, but they're about 6 inches too long, so they're in the "to hem" pile, which I should dig into one of these days. 

I'm going to go give Vizzini some lap-time (he's been pawing at me for attention). And how was your weekend?