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!
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:
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.
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!
I ended up wearing them all night.
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:
- 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!
I didn't take my leather coat off at all, but here's a look at the outfit anyway.
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:
- 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?
I'm swooning over your floral jumpsuit, Sheila, and how fab is that Yeti jacket with it! Very Classy with a "C". Also loving the orange shoes, belt and bling you accessorized it with.
ReplyDeleteThe Fluevog sample sale sounds exciting - I love a sample sale! - and I'm not surprised at all that you both bought shoes. Those velvet and brocade boots are sensational! As are the heels on those black shoes!
Your birthday party outfit is stunning, and yes, of course you had to wear those boots. I'm getting goosebumps just reading you were outside all the time, though. Brr! xxx
The black boots- I knew as son as picture popped up they would be yours. Love the wine pants.
ReplyDeleteWell done, L, those black boots are my favourite things ever, can I borrow them to wear with some of my floaty hippy dresses? No wonder people were going mad with the Fluevog sample sale - i wonder if they buy to resell? I love your choices, the brocade boots are pretty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid weekend, parties and brunch and shopping and shoes and cat cuddles.
The jumpsuit is fab, Zara do some great prints, don't they? Love the orange accessories, too.
The gold skirt was the perfect choice for a party and the black and red shopping outfit is cool.
Love the Indian bangle, yes, its a good quality tourist piece. The scarf is lovely and I did giggle over the straightjacket jumper, Jon would have said that, too! xxx
Fabulous outfits!
ReplyDeleteToo much, too much! Love it all. Just love it, drooling on my old bib overalls here.
ReplyDeleteThat was a busy weekend! Loved all the Fluevogs and didn't you do well with your shopping; such fab finds. I really loved your party outfit with the PANK jacket and the new boots looked gorgeous with it. The black Fluevog boots were such a bargain.
ReplyDeleteI shudder at the prices your second hand shops charge; I know some are consignment shops (quite rare here) but even the prices in your thrift shops seem high - even if converted from Canadian dollars to sterling! Still it's all relative isn't it?
Hope you have a great week.
xxx
Love your awesome outfits! Both pairs of your new Fluevog boots are amazing! I can't stop looking at the Sabado boots either.
ReplyDeleteThose limited edition ankle Fluevogs boots are so you. I'm so happy you snagged them!
ReplyDeleteI love the outfit with the floral jumpsuit. Such a fun piece!
The metallic pleated maxi and a white blouse are great together.
The black and red outfit is stunning. That checkered skirt is fabulous.
Oooh I am loving all your purchases! The boots you got are incredible! I really love the anniversary ones and the outfit you made from them and that sounds like such a good sale. The Entity ones look insane, that heel! I think you are brave for trying them on and it's good they are perfectly balanced and easily walkable in - they look tricky!
ReplyDeleteI have not been making time to read much online the past few weeks. . . But what a fun post to come back to! As always, I am delighted to see your ensembles and your purchases. The boots from the sample sale are making me jealous, just a bit; but mostly I am going to be excited to see if those dark pink velvet and bronze boots pair as well as I think they might with your soon to be new rose skirt (coming along on that--part of why I have not found time for reading posts. . . but it will be while yet.)
ReplyDeleteThis was a very satisfying post. Loved the outfits and all your purchases!!
ReplyDeleteThose brocade Fluevogs are amazing! And I love how you paired them with that gold skirt! So bold! Do I sense that purse is headed for another Sheila artwork?
ReplyDeletei agree with L, you would have regretted not buying the black boots! I love your blue pair, but the black ones are very badass, and they would go with everything in my closet, so I'm rather envious....
ReplyDeleteSensational new acquisitions! Congrats to both you and L on your awesome new - heavily discounted - footwear.
ReplyDeleteI literally said "So good!" aloud (to the bemusement of Annie, who probably expected me to follow it up with the word "girl" 🐶) when I saw the ensemble you created for/around your stunning new boots. And that it really is. Actually, it's not just good, it's flat out fantastic!
Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life
Man what a good Fluevog haul. I can imagine your shock when you saw the black boots for that price. I suppose the blue boots were not in the outlet? You were right in buying the black ones too (and that coming from someone who is just slowely getting used to the blue ones, says something, right?).
ReplyDeleteYour golden/pink boots are sooo cute. You paired them well with that gorgeous pleated skirt and pink jacket.
Greetje
I'm damn late, but still Have to comment on the Fabulous Shoes and lots of shine!, those black boots totally rock (even if I prefer the blue ones, but ohhhh) and the brocade boots too!.
ReplyDeleteReally making me drool over them!.
besos