An Actual Outfit, Plus Vizzini's New Spot

Hello, my friends! Thank you all so much for your kind wishes and sending of good vibes to me while I wrestle with rotten ol' Covid.

Today would have been my back-to-work day post-vacation, but since I'm still sick, that didn't happen. I did need to change my out-of-office message and take care of a few minor things, so L dropped me off at work and I did what was needed before everyone arrived. 

I got dressed in an actual outfit! It's not much - but I haven't worn "real" clothes in a week, so let's celebrate that, ha ha! 

This new-to-me sweater has an uneven hemline, I discovered. It is very snuggly - I might wear it around the house today. 

• Sweater - Religion, thrifted; purchased here for $11.95
• Sparkly turtleneck - Jacob, thrifted; last seen here earlier this month with mixed metals
• Jeans - Smashed Lemon; last worn here as part of the suit in July for the Philips' Backyard Weekender Part 2
• Shoes - Groovy Huysmans, Fluevog; last seen here in September on a Mom-Day Adventure at Dallas Road

I have a belt on to hold the jeans up, plus some bear-patterned socks. My hair is still wet(!) and I have no make-up or jewelry on, and I'm wearing my "house" glasses. 

These shoes were only worn for an hour. 

• Grommet belt (not shown) - gift from Ruth

I didn't even wear a coat - I walked out of the office and onto a bus straight home.

I thought you might appreciate Vizzini's newest sleeping spot. 

"Go back to bed, Woman."

Hee, he's decided that the batting under the small tree is his. 

"Why else would it be here?"

As you can see, I haven't gotten to the actual decorating yet. Maybe tomorrow...or Friday...

"So I can still sleep here?"

Like I could stop you, bud! 

"If you put any ornaments near me, I'll eat them."

Sending you all good vibes and gratitude. And now...back to bed. 

The Best Laid Plans...

So much for "I will be posting here and there" - I've been completely and 100% absent! I apologize for worrying any of you (thank you so much for the email, Ann!). Long story short - L and I both had/have Covid. 

L tested positive last week, right before our vacation time, which necessitated us having to cancel our usual US Thanksgiving All Day Football Celebrations with Nick and Casey.

"Not a gift you want to pass along?"

Definitely not! We were able to do a secure Chili Pick-Up so that my guys would be able to enjoy the chorizo bison chili I'd made earlier in the week, but we missed seeing them and hanging out yelling at our teams on the television. 

I felt fine for the first 3-4 days, but L was pretty wiped out, so we watched a lot of movies, napped, read and played board games when he had the energy.

"I'll show you energy! Look at my muscles!" 

I had to cancel two separate brunch/lunch dates with colleagues/friends, plus shopping expeditions planned for my Friday off and Saturday afternoon (this is what I thought I'd be posting about). Very disappointing, but I wanted to keep my friends safe. 

"And what about me?"

Vizzini's loved having us home - there have been lots of long naps on the couch. 

I woke up on Sunday not feeling 100% - it's finally my turn to get Covid (prior to this, neither L nor I have had it). However, catching it just over a week from my booster jab means I've got a much lesser case - I feel like I have a bad sinus cold, and I'm very tired. 

I took Monday-Tuesday off work specifically so that I could do my Christmas decorating at a leisurely pace, so today/Monday - screw that Covid! - I got started. I pulled a couple dozen bags of decorations out of the hall closet and lined them up in the dining area. Oh, that's a lot. 

It often feels overwhelming, which is why I didn't decorate last year (I last put my trees up here in November 2021). This year, I decided to not put up the village (it takes a long time), to scale back some of my decorations. My 4.5' tree is in the skinny box on the rug, and a 2' tree is in the bag on the right. 

And my 7.5' slender artificial tree is in that box. 

Plus Kleenex for my drippy nose. 

I lit the main tree and secured it with thick wire around the centre post between the two deck doors...in case "someone" decides to pull on it. 

I alternated white and coloured strings of lights. 

L had asked me to incorporate our little-used Stormtrooper cardboard cut-out into the décor this year. 

"Stop! These aren't the decorations you're looking for!"

The Santa figure in the foreground is one of my favourite of all my Christmas pieces. In case you forgot/didn't know, I worked in a year-round Christmas store between 1986 and 1997 - I have a MASSIVE collection of beautiful things that I bought from my store during that period. 

I added lit pine garlands to the top of the pie safe (on the left), and trailed lights up and over the kitchen doorway to the Scotch Bar (no outlets on that wall). 

I'm not sure what I'll put in these areas yet - I like to decorate differently every time. Heck, I never wear the same outfit twice, so why should my decorating always be the same? 

The 4.5' tree got lit next. I rested in between all the lighting. 

The sun was going down, making everything golden. That white thing is my stepladder. 

Once all the lights were done...so was I. Vizzini came out from hiding on the bed to inspect it all. 

"Ah, yes, the tasty branches."

He's always been fond of chewing on the trees, little monster. I am sure he does it just to get attention.

"Why else?"

I'm off tomorrow/Tuesday...and likely the rest of the week, even though I'm already starting to feel better (fingers crossed). I may tackle the actual ornaments if I'm up to it. If not...

"There's always time for cuddles."

Exactly! Taking it easy and letting my body get better is the priority! 

So, there you have it, my friends! The best laid plans...I am hoping to be back in regular shape by the weekend, so send me good vibes! 

I hope you're all safe, healthy and happy, and I thank you so much for visiting. And now, back to riding that couch...

Black Leather Armour and Mustard Murmurations

Today was the last day at work before I take an extended extra-extra-long weekend off. I wore all my armour. 

Fortunately, there were few people in the office, so I just slogged away. 

• Leather jacket - Luna, vintage 80s, thrifted; purchased here for $59.99
• Blouse - Wilfred, consignment; first worn here in July with suede swirls
• Skirt - Danier, thrifted; last seen here earlier this month with a burgundy duster
• Shoes - Summertime Moonbeams, Fluevog, consignment; last worn here in May with red and black leather
• Sweetums cape (below) - vintage 70s, consignment; last seen here in October

Colleague Carol admired my shoulder pads, which I waggled at her. 

I had a different skirt chosen, but didn't take my own advice to try this new-to-me leather jacket on with the outfit first - oops! 

It did not look right, so I defaulted to my leather trimmed black pencil skirt. 

It has leather panels on the sides and around the back zip. 

I worked up a sweat climbing many flights of stairs, and took the jacket off for a while. 

Murmurations of swallows in flight.

That's what the pattern of this silk mustard blouse reminds me of. 

I layered a grey wool cami underneath, and I'm wearing nylons. 

Done up, so you can see how nicely this Luna brand leather jacket looks. 

Carol also admired the armour-like "scales" down the arms. 

Outerwear - we're in Cape Season. 

It isn't cold enough for a warmer coat just yet - I'm enjoying being able to wear Sweetums a little while longer. 

Incognito. 

Mornings, they're all a blur. 

Accoutrements: 

I carried a purse, plus a tote bag with my shoes in it. 

• Purse - Lodis, thrifted
• Scarf - thrifted, L's
• Beret - consignment
• Suede gloves - thrifted

The stuff: 

"Great shoes!" coworker Milind noted. Indeed they are! 

Brass bling: 

Just a peek of the belt showing below the blouse. 

• Belt - consignment
• Earrings - vintage mall
• Gold/amethyst ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's
• Brass ring - vintage mall
• Bronze ring - P. Sarpaneva, Finland, vintage expo

And now...vacation! We're sticking close to home, so I will be posting here and there. Please do pop in - and thank you all so much for visiting and commenting. 

Boss Lady Volume, Peak Teal and Copper

Another busy Tuesday, with lots of folks around in the office. Gotta look profesh! 

I felt very much a Boss Lady in this outfit. I enjoyed striding around in it while I gave a tour of the office to a new director. 

• Wool jacket - Pims, vintage 80s, consignment; purchased here for $30.00
• Top - Le Chateau, thrifted; purchased here for $14.95
• Wool trousers - Red Valentino, consignment; last worn here in March with more pinstripes
• Shoes - Chanii B; last seen here in March with Loud Pants
• Eclipse coat (below) - Welsh, vintage, consignment; last worn here in October

It's about time I wore this new-to-me wool vintage jacket that I bought last summer - I put some effort in last night and styled it up in my closet. 

It always helps when I do an actual try-on with new pieces, especially one that is not a standard shape. I learned what necklines work best with it, for instance.

I matched volume with volume and kept the waist narrow with the buttoned-up jacket. I would also do this with a big full skirt - and also a skinny pencil skirt.

I wish it still had its shoulder pads - shoot, I should have worn my cami with the built-in pads. D'oh! Next time! 

It was really comfortable to work in  - look at that big box pleat in back. It's just made for tying furiously all day. 

The trousers are a classy brand (Valentino's cheaper line, Red) but are unlined. I have full pant-liners (like a slip only pants) but they're bright white and show the small constellation of moth-holes. This time, I wore knee-highs plus long sporty shorts under them. It worked well - they're so wide they barely touch my legs. 

First wearing of this new-to-me teal top and it gets a big thumbs up - great colour, excellent fit and a good cut for me. It's also very long, so doesn't untuck when I sit. 

I've reached Peak Teal Sleeveless Top! How exciting. 

Outerwear - ta-dah! 

I'm such a fan of this coat - it rained on the way home and it barely got damp. 

Incognito. 

More big pockets. It was a good pocket day.

Accoutrements: 

A very soft silk scarf, snuggly warm. 

• Scarf - Jay Sutton, consignment; purchased here for $15.00
• Mohair toque - thrifted
• Gloves - consignment

The stuff: 

I've had these shoes for nearly eight years - we go way back. They're getting a bit faded and worn, but so am I. 

Copper bling: 

I ran an errand at the Post Office and the person who helped me LOVED all my copper and had a long look at it. It's so nice when someone appreciates it. 

• Copper/enamel cuff - Matisse by Renoir, vintage 60s, vintage expo
• Copper cuff (matching earrings not worn) - Renoir, vintage 50s, consignment
• Copper ball ring - vintage, consignment
• Shiny copper rings - Glee
• Copper/enamel earrings - Matisse by Renoir, vintage 50s, Grandma J's
• Copper brooch - thrifted

I liked having a bit of Grandma with me today - I remember her wearing these earrings in the 70s.

The "S" Dress Returns

I feel like I'm in Jammy Dress mode right now. This dress certainly supports that theory. 

The "S" Dress returns! 

• Dress - Uniqlo x Marimekko, thrifted; last seen here in December 2022 with purple shoes
• Booties - Truths Suzie, Fluevog, consignment; last worn here in October with magenta and boss pants
• Leather coat (below) - Jeno de Paris, vintage 70s, thrifted; last seen here in April

Tights, slip, dress, boots. Done! 

S is for Sheila. 

The colours are richer in Real Life - that's an indigo-grape purple and a forest-mossy green. 

Purple and green always make me think of the Incredible Hulk. Rar! 

No pockets, but that's okay. 

The undulating design makes up for it. 

Outerwear  - carrying on the theme. 

I love this coat. Grommet belt! It is not the original belt, which is bizarrely tiny. 

Incognito. 

Very mysterious. 

Accoutrements: 

Just a touch of matchy green in the scarf. 

• Silk scarf - Fluevog
• Beret - consignment
• Gloves - Danier Leather

The stuff: 

More grommets! 

Matchy bling: 

More green and purple. 

• Glass snake pendant - Venice, gift from Mom
• Silver/malachite bangle - Mexican, thrifted, Sidney
• Fang bangle - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Sidney
• Silver/obsidian ring - vintage mall, gift from L
• Silver/amethyst ring - vintage mall
• Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
• Silver/malachite ring - consignment
• Earrings - Bermuda, Mom's

Things that make me happy.

Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Friday Mismatched Greens; Striped Lunch in Red and Orange (and a Wee Shop); Cashmere and Cerulean Cocoon for Book Club

Welcome back, my friends! It was a most needed weekend after a busy work-week, with a nice mix of downtime with L, brunch with Nick, and Book Club with my lovely literary ladies.

Let's start with Friday, shall we? I wore green, and lots of it, not all of it matching. 

I confessed to colleague Ray that it makes me twitch slightly to have three mismatched greens in one outfit. I like it better when there's more contrast. 

• Jacket - Frank Lyman; last worn here in March for work followed by a concert
• Sweater - Tatyana, thrifted; last seen here for brunch in May 2022
• Skirt - Ralph Lauren, thrifted; purchased here NWT for $34.95
• Boots - Bond Girl, Fluevog x Anna Sui; first worn here a couple of weeks ago with houndstooth
• Poncho - vintage, Welsh, thrifted; last seen here in that same outfit! 

There's always a lot experimentation with a new statement piece, like these mint green boots. Speaking of statements...

Pink sunrise on the Castle. 

Tweaking this outfit in my mind...I think I'm done with this sweater. 

I haven't worn it in a year and a half, even though it used to be a wardrobe staple for me. It's getting worn out. 

The skirt wants to be the star but it's fighting with this amazing studded and embroidered jacket. 

I liked the skirt, however - it was warm and comfy. 

See? Amazing jacket. Oodles of embroidery and studs (for catching my hair, which is why it's clipped up).

I also think the skirt needs black boots (or white?!) or leg + dressier shoe. These boots are too close in colour and it throws off the proportions of my bottom half. Or maybe I'm just overthinking the whole thing.

I got a new laptop at work and spent most of the day transferring data, followed by ranting about all the stuff I had to restore to The Way I Like It. I got all overheated, in more ways than one! 

But deep breaths, this too shall pass. In the grand scheme of things, neither new laptop woes or a not-quite outfit are worth getting wrought up over.

With the jacket done up. 

"This is my face!" Yes, Blurry Sheila. Have some more coffee. 

Incognito. 

I ran some errands on the way home - at one store I was greeted by, "Nice fit!" which startled me until I remembered, fit = outfit. 

Showing my purse. 

Once I had my sunnies on, I didn't want to take them off. 

Accoutrements: 

Comforting things. 

• Purse - Rebecca Minkoff, consignment
• Silk scarf - Elaine Gold, consignment
• Gloves - Parkhurst

The stuff: 

I still have another outfit lined up for these boots. I'm hoping the rain holds off so I can wear them again soon! 

Matchy bling: 

All silver. 

• Silver/malachite bangle - Mexican, thrifted, Sidney
• Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
• Silver/malachite ring - consignment
• Enameled cuff - thrifted
• Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
• Silver/kyanite ring - consignment
• Earrings - Israeli, consignment

L and I had a fun evening of music and board games and crashed into bed in the wee hours. We overslept, so joined Nick for lunch at John's Place. I didn't feel like making much of an effort. 

Jammy dress, ahoy! We had sunshine in the morning. 

• Dress - InWear; last seen here in October with these same boots
• Boots - F-Trip Warhol, Fluevog; last worn here in that same outfit (shocking)
• Jacket (below) - Banana Republic, consignment; last seen here in November

After lunch, we did some errands, and I ducked into Dots for a spot of early Christmas shopping. 

I have a full slip layered under this, plus fleece-lined tights. 

It's just your basic Jammy dress. 

Nothing to it. One and done.

I picked it up at Dots, which sells sales samples, a few years ago. 

The staff there admired my boots, as did the servers in John's Place. They are rather stunning boots. 

Outerwear. 

I love red and orange together, such a cheery combination. 

Incognito. 

Downtown was busy, full of people. 

Accoutrements: 

Mismatched oranges, but that doesn't bother me as much in accessories. 

The stuff: 

So glad I got these. 

• Silver bangle - thrifted, Powell River
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Anneke & Lars ring - vintage mall
• Silver/onyx ring - Tocara, vintage fair
• Silver earrings - Brenda Schoenfeld, 1992, vintage mall

Vizzini distracted me and I forgot to take a pic of just the jewelry. 

Dots just got in a load of sample coats so I had a good poke through them. I have little love for boring coat colours like black, tan, cream, brown or navy, but a lovely cerulean blue? YES. 

"It looks very snuggly, good for sleeping on."

It is a bit sleeping-bag-ish! There are two-way zips, so you can unzip the bottom to stride about (as I am wont to do). The hem is also elasticized. 

It has a hood, and yes, it's sleeveless. 

So it's a sleeveless coat...or a vest. Or maybe just a cocoon? 

Fully working deep pockets. 

Lined with the softest plush fleece. 

It's by B. Young, same as my blue velour lounge suit I last picked up at Dots in the summer (this one). 

All coats were 25% off, so this ended up being $59.99. 

I had to model. 

Super cute! Can't wait to wear this! 

L napped and I read during Saturday afternoon, and then we enjoyed another evening of board games, music, and a kitty poking at game tokens and elastics, then were up early for a day of football. 

But wait! 

I have plans today! It's Book Club! 

It was our first time meeting at Ciara's house - she joined our group during the pandemic and hasn't seen many of our homes still. 

It was sunny...but still cold. 

• Dress - Claudia Nichole cashmere, consignment; last worn here in November 2022 for a Mental Health Shop
• Boots - Original Sabado, Fluevog; last seen here (3rd outfit) last week to see the Beaches in concert
• Cocoon coat (below) - B. Young; purchased above for $59.99

Of course, I couldn't wait to wear my new cerulean cocoon, so I built the outfit around it. 

A plain back dress? Not so fast! 

It's 100% cashmere, and so amazingly soft. 

Plus it has double ruffles at the bracelet-length sleeves, and a very flattering neckline. 

I have a tank on underneath, and a pair of leggings I wear around the house with big socks over them. 

I took my boots off at Ciara's, so everyone got a gander at my Klassy socks, ha ha. 

Incognito. 

I walked over to Cat's and met her and Yvonne. 

Cat drove us all there and back - thank you! 

I loved this cocoon, and am so glad I bought it. I also love that it's Carolina Panthers blue - my poor NFL team is now 1-9, having a very bad season. 

I found I didn't need to unzip the hem this much at all - once I started walking I wore it fully zipped up.

The hem hit right at my knees and was the perfect width, and kept my legs nice and snuggly warm. 

I only needed the hem unzipped when I got into the car.

I wore the hood done up on my walk to Cat's - that was a brisk wind! 

Accoutrements:

It was my turn to pick our book for Book Club - I selected a sci fi classic, "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons. I haven't read it since the mid-90s, and they had copies for a good price at Russell Books. My original edition is on the left - Caro, I've got your copy! - and I'm looking forward to re-reading the full 4-book "Hyperion Cantos", which I recall loving back when I first met L. 

• Silk scarf - fake Louis (Lewis!) Vuitton, thrifted
• Gloves - Echo, consignment

The stuff: 

Easy walking boots. 

Black and blue bling: 

Lots of hand-candy! 

• Chain cuff - consignment
• Leather cuff - Guess, thrifted
• Silver/kyanite ring - consignment
• Silver/onyx ring - Tocara, vintage fair
• Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
• Silver/obsidian ring - vintage mall, gift from L
• Porcelain cat earrings - Winnie Tam

It's laundry day, Vizzini, you'd better get off the bed. 

"No way, George and I are napping, Woman." 

Okay, fine, I'll let the Man deal with you. I'm glad to see you've gotten used to the height of the new mattress. 

"I'll take any surface covered in warm laundry."

That does sound appealing! 

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend, my friends, and I thank you again for visiting!