Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Snow Day: Layers of Wool, and Loads of Snow

We woke up to a winter wonderland - we had close to 40 centimeters (over a foot) of snow overnight. For a normally mild climate like ours, that's a shocker. Snow Day! 
I layered two wool pieces, but I also wore silk and fleece. 

  • Cardigan - Ports, vintage 80s, consignment; last worn here in September with a gone white dress
  • Dress - Karen Millen, consignment; last seen here in February with Luke and Yoda shoes
  • Shoes - Truths Pilgrim, Fluevog; last worn here in November with Boss Lady Pants
  • Mink coat - vintage, thrifted; last seen here yesterday

This amazing striped dress has been a favourite of mine for several years - this is its 9th wearing. 
I have a long-sleeved vintage thermal made of 100% silk under this - I was very thankful for it, as our building's heating couldn't keep up with the -4 temps outside. 

I never took this thick wool cardigan off, of course. 
I buttoned it up when I had my coat on. 

It's such a gorgeous shade of blue. 
I have fleece-lined tights on too. 

Masked up. 
Yes, pockets! 

Outerwear - I actually clipped my hair up and completely hid it under my beret to keep it dry. 
I solved the mystery of the "what the heck is this thing?" noted here when I bought this coat.

I dug around on the opposite side seam, and yup, there was an elastic hiding there! 
I snapped the end of the ribbon on, and presto! My coat will not open up in the wind - ever! Amazing! 

Accoutrements: 
Lots of red. 

  • Beret - Parkhurst, consignment
  • Scarf - Halston, vintage 70s, thrifted
  • Gloves - Echo, consignment
  • Mask - Lazy Susan's

The stuff: 
Comfy shoes for wearing in the office. 

Graphic bling: 
I liked this mix. 

  • Black/white cuff - vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Black/red cuff  - Bakelite, vintage 50s, vintage mall, gift from L
  • Silver/onyx ring - Toccara, vintage fair
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Necklace - Monet, vintage 80s, vintage fair
  • Earrings - vintage 80s, vintage fair


I took my little camera with me to work today. Enjoy our Snow Day! 
This is around 8am, and the snow is still coming down hard. 

Uh-oh, I can't see my feet! 
I discovered that it was deep - over the tops of my Doc Martens. 

I love this big old Victorian house. 
It's very elegant in the snow. 

No one's shoveled their sidewalks yet - it's too early.
I walked on mostly virgin snow on the way to town. I also walked down the middle of some of the streets, like the lady on the right. 

The birds were flitting around in this tree. 
Probably eating the berries. 

A mostly-deserted street. 
I arrived slightly late to work, but no one noticed. There were only 3 people there, including me! 

As I didn't put my Christmas stuff up this year, I am instead enjoying the office tree. 
I decorate it and take it down right after New Year's. 

I walked around the empty office and took some pictures of the views. I see the Legislature Building and the Empress Hotel. 
The red brick building is a church. 

Did you notice the pigeons clustered around this chimney?
They're trying to keep warm. 

I can see a bit of the harbour, and the Sooke Hills in the distance. 
The monstrosity in the foreground is the mall, built in 1989-1990. I worked in two stores there! 

Looking north, up-Island. 
A little bit of sun hitting the hills - we actually had a bit of blue sky mid-day. 

I like this view of City Hall (it's 9:07am) and the pigeons swooping around. 
Some of these buildings are very old - the one on the left used to house my optometrist and dentist when I was a wee girl. It had an elevator operator, and has marble and wooden staircases. HUGO. 

Looking towards home. 
We didn't get much melting during the day as the temps didn't go above freezing. 

On my way home, around 5pm. 
In spring this tree is a mass of pink blooms. 

Our neighbours have shoveled their sidewalk, but no one had done ours. 
I shoveled for an hour, alongside a couple who live in our building. Whew, my arms feel like noodles! 

I hope this snow is gone in the morning (but it's snowing still...). 

15 comments:

  1. Oh it does look very beautiful and cozy on photos! But I hate snow when it's here. You don't decorate at your home this year? What a pity! Btw, here no one shuffles. Its so ego centric.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I didn't feel like decorating - it's a lot of work and I just wasn't up to it, mentally.

      Apartment buildings, condominiums and houses (plus businesses) all have a legal obligation to shovel their walks - if someone slips and falls, that's an insurance nightmare!

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  2. Malls sure are antiquated but we'll likely do an annual pilgrimage to one the week after Christmas. The other buildings though have character. Oh you are stunning in the red. I'd be wearing hearty snow boots because I hate wet feet. You did a lovely job in office tree.

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  3. All that's missing is boots and a shoe bag. Yes, shoe bags for indoor shoes are de rigeur in cold, snowy places. Yours would be lovely.

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    Replies
    1. I carry my shoes to work in a bag - I wore my Doc Martens boots in the snow!

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    2. I'd love to see your shoe bags! Mine look like a sad afterthought.

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    3. I use a very old plastic bag to keep my shoes dry - other than that, my shoes just get stuffed into my leather backpack that I wear to/from work every day. It's nothing fancy. if I need something nicer, I use one of the many shoe-bags I have from Fluevog (black flannel drawstring). Nothing very exciting!

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  4. Wow, as an Australian, snow is still a novelty to me, there are very few places here that get it! I can't imagine this being real life, it's like a movie!

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  5. I really love the snow photos although I can imagine it would make walking to work a bit trickier! thank goodness for your Doc Marten boots and fleece lined tights!
    I let hubby and the kids do most of the decorating this year - I'm hosting Christmas so I'm a bit stressed and it was nice to keep everything else simple while I fret about food and stuff, haha!

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  6. What a winter wonderland and that Victorian house is a stunner! We had a dusting of snow in comparison (all gone now) and still got ridiculously excited! Your mink coat was a very timely find and I'm glad you solved the mystery of the secret fastening.
    I love the photos capturing the sun kissing the hills on the horizon and the tree branches coated with snow. I feel for the birds at this time of year. Stay warm!

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  7. I love your snowy vista, it's so pretty! Here in the UK the council grit the main roads and the town centre, it's rare anyone shovels snow from the pavements - either we're a lot less socially conscious than the Canadians or just not used to it!
    I love how old coats are constructed with the interior ties, so clever! xxx

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  8. Your outfit is just perfect for a snow day, and I'm glad you found out the use for that mystery thing on your coat. I loved your snow pictures - and the office tree - but I'm rather glad we haven't had any of the stuff so far. As both Jos and myself are under the weather, we really couldn't face shoveling the pavements ... Anyway, I am vicariously enjoying the Winter Wonderland through your post! xxx

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  9. Brrrrrr!!! Oh look, your red accessories match the work tree! Hee hee!
    Loving the stripy dress and a silk thermal sounds wonderful! My mum has some fab ones from Patra!x

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  10. wow, totally in love with your stylish and comfy outfit and the graphic bling (totally my kind of thing!). Looking fab even in a snowy day!.
    Those photos are amazing!
    besos

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  11. The winter wonderland photos are amazing to see Sheila, but I don't envy you those temperatures! That dress is still going strong eh - I remember it from previous years - it's a keeper xxx

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