Mid-Week Wrap-Up: Brunch With the Nieces; Mom-Day Decorations; Final Shop of the Year

Just popping in to wrap up the week, before New Year's Eve weekend descends upon us. L and I have been chilling out (aka hiding from the world) for a few days with intermittent bits of socialness, and on Wednesday it was time to re-enter society and meet up with our nieces for brunch at the Ruby.

I planned to swing by Fluevog afterward (they have a big sale on), as well as having a poke around the downtown thrift stores. 

As you can see, it was a sunny-ish day, although still cold, and I didn't even need a real coat! 

• Leather blazer - Danier Leather, vintage 80s, consignment; first seen here in November with studded tweed
• Sweater - Maison Scotch, consignment; last worn here in January with this same skirt and boots! 
• Skirt - Vivienne Westwood Anglomania F/W 2011, consignment; last seen here in September with cowgirl stuff
• Boots - Woodland East End, Fluevog; last worn here in October with yellow, blue and white jeans

It felt weird putting "real" clothes on after nearly a week of ultra-comfy stuff. 

I chose easy items: a twisty, swooshy skirt, a soft sweater. 

This yellow leather blazer is so awesome. 

I ran into my Jamaican trumpet-playing neighbour on the way home, who loudly declared me, "The last classy white lady!"

I laughed very loudly at that. 

Without the jacket, which I only took off for brunch. 

I was so sad to hear that Dame Vivienne Westwood died this week - an excellent obit by Vogue here (links 'cause I love, of course, as always), and her most unforgettable runway moments here, also from Vogue. I'll take one of everything (okay, maybe not the fur merkin!). I'm glad I accidentally wore this skirt in her honour this week. 

I'll have to dig back in my outfit pics to get the lay of this skirt right - I had too much business going on in the back and not enough in the front. It's a very confusing skirt, very twisty. 

Masked up: 

I wore my scarf at my neck the entire day. 

Incognito! Sunny enough for a little while to wear my shades. 

Me, Zoe and Hanna quickly looked around in Fluevog, but they have a big sale on, so we didn't stay long (too many people) - I picked up my and L's gift cards from Mom (thank you!) and we'll have a proper shop another time. 

Accoutrements: 

Some favourites. 

• Purse - Rebecca Minkoff, thrifted
• Scarf - Forele, vintage, consignment
• Gloves - Parkhurst
• Mask - by Mom

The stuff: 

I left Zoe and Hannah after Fluevog and poked around in the thrift shops, but didn't buy anything. I have another shopping trip lined up for later in the week. 

Brutalist bling: 

First wearing of my new-to-me necklace! 

• Cuff, bracelet, necklace - Robert Larin, vintage 70s, vintage mall, gifts from L
• Earrings - vintage mall
• Lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
• Belt - Club Monaco, thrifted

I knotted the chain on either side of the clasp to pull the necklace up a bit higher. 

A close-up of the pendant (the chain is original). 

I like the uneven shape, balanced by the gold-plated ball. Some of the gold plating has rubbed off. 

And there's the signature on the back. 

Thank you, L, I love it! 

We waited outside the Ruby for the girls to arrive. 

Two cool people. 

And here are my two oldest nieces, Zoe (middle) and Hannah (right). 

So wonderful to see you both! 

More quiet time in the evening for L and I, and on Thursday we headed out to Mom's house to visit her for Christmas. 

I've been overindulging in chocolate, so a comfy dress was in order. 

• Sweater - Judith & Charles, consignment; last seen here in October for lunch with Mom
• Wool dress - Dolce & Gabbana, vintage 90s, thrifted; last worn here in March for our anniversary weekend in Vancouver
• Boots - Warhol F-Trip Fluevog x Anna Sui; last worn here in November for a Mom-Day adventure in Sidney
• Leather moto jacket (below) - Banana Republic, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) earlier this month

Every time I wear this dress I wonder if it might be the last time. 

It's a knit wool dress from the classic "slip dress" 90s era - it's good from far, but looking a little worn out close up. 

I layered this cream wool sweater under it, then focused on the accessories. 

The boots are the stars! 

Masked up. 

And a blurry swinging bag. 

Outerwear - all done up. 

I wasn't outside much. 

Accoutrements: 

Just a few things. 

• Bag - painted by me
• Scarf - La Dear, vintage, thrifted
• Gloves - vintage, thrifted
• Mask - by Mom

The stuff: 

I dearly love these boots. So fun! 

Bold bling: 

And matchy too! 

• Black and white cuff - vintage fair
• Black and red cuff - Bakelite, vintage mall, gift from L
• Anneke and Lars ring - vintage mall
• Silver/onyx ring - Tocara, vintage fair
• Earrings - vintage, vintage fair
• Jet necklace - vintage 60s, Grandma J's

I took a picture of Mom's Christmas tree. 

She's decorated with just her favourites, including many that were from my old year-round Christmas store job, including the Mary w/baby on the top. 

I like that Mom's kept EVERYTHING, like this rather ragged advent calendar in the back of her village scene. 

The village itself belongs to her mom, my Gram. I remember that she and Grandad put it on top of their big cabinet TV. 

This plastic Santa and reindeer have been in Mom's collection as long as I've been alive. 

Which makes it from the 1960s. 

The Santa collection. The googly-eyed Santa is from the 60s, and I think the red plastic one on skis (a candy holder) is also from that era. 

The Santa with the saxophone is from me (my dad played sax). 

Oh my - that abomination on the left is something I made in Grade 4, so that would be in...1973 or 74? 

The beard and Santa's cuffs were made from cat hair that my teacher, Mrs. Leacock, collected from brushing her cat, Pigpen. All of the kids in the class got a bit of Pigpen's fur. The Grinch is obviously a modern ornament. 

These two wax figures were "first Christmas" decorations that Mom & Dad got as a gift from his parents, I think, back in 1965. I was fascinated by these as a kid. 

It was probably me that poked the hole in the star. I also scraped tiny bits of the pearlized finish off ("is it really wax?"). There were originally two of the smaller shepherd pieces, but one got very bent in the sun one year and wouldn't stand anymore. 

They still have their original paper labels on the bottom. 

About Gurley Novelty Co. here (link 'cause I love). I couldn't find any pics of the big nativity piece, and only one pic of the small shepherd design. 

But I know it was only 29 cents, and it was bought at K-Mart! Hang onto those, Mom, they might be worth something! 

I liked the display of angels on the mantle (Mom did the swan picture herself, many years ago). 

The big red one is one I remember from my childhood. The rest are from the 80s to present. 

And here's Mom! The three of us went for lunch at Floyd's after we did gifts.

Merry Christmas, Mom! Thank you for the gift cards, chocolate, the mug and the necklace, plus the handwarmer! I love you! 

On Friday, Cat and I met up for brunch at Shine Café, then strolled down Oak Bay Avenue ("the Ave") to check out the sales at our favourite consignment boutiques, Good Things Consignment Vintage, House of Savoy, Lazy Susan's and Turnabout (at their swanky new location!). 

I dressed for shopping, and also plaid for Ms. Westwood. We had a drink at the Penny Farthing Pub on the Ave afterwards, and a woman asked me where I'd gotten my dress. It's 11 years old! 

• Dress - Plum; last worn here in November 2021 with wings and white shoes
• T-shirt - Gen-O, thrifted; last seen here in August in my capsule wardrobe for a Powell River trip
• Shoes - Future Orbit, Fluevog, consignment; purchased here for $99.00
• Ringmaster Coat - Rodarte for Opening Ceremony, consignment; last seen here in November 2021

Our winter has gone back to "the usual" which is cloudy, rainy and mild temps from 6-9 degrees. 

Friday was a bit rainy, but we did a lot of walking, so no need for a heavy coat. 

Without the coat, which I took off at the pub after.

I still haven't found a better red plaid dress, so even though this jumper style is getting a little pilly, it remains in my wardrobe. 

I like how the plaid is rotated on the seams. 

Masked up: 

We shopped with masks on in every store. 

All done up, and Cat's here! 

Hey, darlin'! Ready for a big day of shopping? I have money and gift cards to spend! 

Vizzini came out to say hello. 

"I heard there might be some kitty treats."

You can see the awesome "tails" of my Ringmaster Coat there - it snaps closed at the front, and the top half is faux Persian lamb. No pockets, though, boo! Who makes a coat without pockets?? Thank goodness my dress has them. 

Accoutrements: 

My knapsack is rather deflated there, but by the end of the day, it was crammed full and the rubber spikes were at attention. 

• Bag - Craig Morrison, c. 1993, consignment
• Beret - Parkhurst, consignment
• Gloves - Danier Leather
• Scarf - Elaine Gold, consignment
• Mask - by Mom

It really is the best bag for shopping - all hands free, light as a feather, and soft so that I don't knock into things. Plus the spikes keep people away from me, heh heh. 

The stuff: 

Although this is the first time wearing these shoes in an outfit, I've worn them a few times for walking to and from work. They were excellent and comfy for an all-day shop. Woo! These are on deep sale now at Fluevog - we can be twins! 

Minimal bling: 

My new spider brooch was pinned to the lapel of the coat. 

• Belt - gift from Ruth
• Earrings - thrifted
• Spider brooch - vintage mall, gift from L; was around $18.00
• Anneke & Lars ring - vintage mall
• Silver/onyx ring - Tocara, vintage fair

The spider's lost her two back legs, which broke off in her previous life. I don't mind that - it's probably why the pin was so inexpensive. Thank you, L! I love her! 

And now, the shopping haul. We started at Good Things, where they had loads on sale. We both did very well in the jewelry department. 

I spotted this vintage 1970s stretchy "scale" belt in a case. L and I just watched a couple of old Pam Grier 70s movies (Coffy, excellent, would recommend, and Foxy Brown, would not recommend) and she's wearing one of these with high-waisted pants. Bam, there's your era - I love looking at clothing in old movies. 

For $11.00??

That's thrift store prices! 

I can't remember how much most of the jewelry was (they remove the prices, and you don't get an itemized receipt), but Cat and I pawed over many pieces, and all the ones I bought were marked down. 

This was $15.00 - this will work well with my spring clothing, and all the greens and pinks. I believe it's by J. Crew - I recognized their distinctive clasp. 

A bunch more. 

A cuff, a ring, a double ring, and a pair of clip-on earrings. 

The cuff - also $15.00. 

I like the rock & roll vibe of it, but with hearts. 

It's by Juicy Couture. I think the hearts are actual crystals (maybe Swarovski), as the back is cut out to allow them to reflect and shine.

I couldn't find this exact bracelet anywhere online, so it's likely early 00s. It was also $15.00, but would have retailed for around $75.00 new. 

I have skinny fingers and most rings are too big on me, so when I find one that fits my middle finger (as opposed to my pointer fingers), I will snap it up. 

I love this big blue stone - it has a lot of striations on it, and the surface is worn/scratched a bit. 

This was marked down to $30.00 (it's stamped sterling silver). 

I asked the clerk to note the stone name, as I'll never remember it! You can read about kyanite here - I know I've never heard of it before! 

The double ring is a snake design, similar in appearance to my "shoulder-creeper" jewelry. 

It fits loosely over two fingers. It was also $15.00 and I will probably wear it a few times and then pass it on. It's fun, but nothing that special. I like the red crystal eye. This is probably from the mid-00s. 

These big Lucite peachy-amber-coloured earrings appealed to me. 

Also $15.00. 

No marks on them (I was hoping for Alexis Bittar!). 

They have a rounded "spaceship" shape. 

From Good Things, we continued on to House of Savoy, where we both found goodies. 

I've been looking for a Best Teal Top for years - this elbow-length turtleneck fits the bill perfectly. 

It's by Bellissima, a swanky mall store. The colour doesn't photograph well - it's more greeny-blue than this. 

This was $30.00, I think (again, tags removed, no itemized receipt to refer to, just my crappy memory!). 

I have also been on the lookout for another bronze blouse, after my disastrous Bronze Velvet Rage incident of October (here). 

This is a late 80s glamour-puss of a top! 

I love the tight cuffs and fabric-covered buttons. 

It came with a complimentary safety pin for the boobular region (I'll just wear a black cami). 

It still has the light shoulder pads, but if I had any doubt about the age, the labels dispelled that. 

Made in Hong Kong! 

It's by Jac Dale, a brand I remember from the 80s (I could not afford it!). 

This was marked down to $35.00.

I am a sucker for mesh, especially with this amount of embroidery. 

This is a mini-dress, complete with solid black viscose tank liner (which is very snug, and I won't be using since I have my own underlovelies). 

Look at that. 

And the back-side of the fabric is just as nice. That is a good quality textile! 

I'm shocked to see Zara on the label. 

It was $40.00, which felt like a bargain. I think it must have been at least twice that originally. 

We were excited to see the new Turnabout location in the old Winchester Galleries space deep in the Oak Bay Village and it did not disappoint! Wow, three floors of gorgeous displays, including the entire bottom floor of menswear. It's welcoming and beautiful and feels like I'm poking around in someone's house (which I love). 

The main floor is the designer area mixed with regular brands, plus the main change rooms (big, bright and open). I noted that they have a ginormous mirror with the bottom pulled out to make everyone look tall and skinny - an old sales trick! There's a winding open staircase to the upper floor, where workout/casual clothes are situated, along with the uber-sale rack. They had a big sale going, with an extra 15% off everything! 

I have been eyeing this amazing leopard denim skirt for a long time, and finally bit, as it was fully marked down to final clearance. 

It's high-waisted (a gathered "paper bag" style), with a removeable belt, and a faux wrap front. 

The front buttons are hidden behind the placket, with a few snaps near the top to hold things in place. 

Pleated at the waist, and pockets on each side. 

Big pockets, you know I'm a fan. 

I noted with interest that it's "Climate Compensated Clothing."

About that here from Vogue Business. 

But of course, I bought it second-hand, the ultimate sustainable fashion purchase. 

It's by Ganni and was new-with-tags - the original retail was $425.00, and this is from Pre-Spring/Summer 2019. I guess someone bought it on impulse and then consigned it during the pandemic. I ended up paying $85.00 for this - the original Turnabout price was $350.00 and it was marked all the way down to $100, plus the extra 15% discount. 

I also found this jacket, in the menswear section. 

I've been looking for more "sporty" pieces to add to my wardrobe. Isn't this awesome? 

The back.

I adore this bomber style. 

It's by Dolce & Gabbana. 

Nice details of grey and mesh, and everything's marked properly. 

Side pockets with snaps. 

And because it's a men's jacket, there's also a pocket INSIDE. 

Sigh, like a women's jacket would ever have that! 

A lovely logo. 

This is as much brand advertising as I'm typically willing to do. Pay ME for displaying your name! 

The appropriate holograms inside. 

I couldn't find this exact jacket online, but Farfetch has a bunch of similar ones for over $1,000 each! This was also $85.00 (marked way down to $100, then extra discount). What a bargain! And the great thing? I didn't pay a penny as I had gift cards. Both my items were free-tp-me! Thank you, L! 

Vizzini, what do you think of my purchases? 

"Eh, they're okay, I guess."

He's taken to sleeping on L's pile of scarves (put them away!). Maybe he knows something is up for New Year's...?

"What? What's going on?"

Oh, it's a Very Big Deal, Vizzini, but you'll have to wait to see until Monday! 

And here we are, my friends, at the end of another year. Wishing all of my friends, readers, commenters and lurkers a very Happy New Year - I hope 2023 brings you good health, good times and good vibes all around. 

I'll be back in a few days with my New Year's Eve weekend wrap-up, plus my annual listing of all the books I read this year (spoiler, not as many as last year, here). 

Signing out on 2022...Peace out!