Art Project Done; Friday Neon Floral Shoes and the X-Ray Coat

Surprise! It's a Friday post to make up for the lack of Mom-Day Adventures. Due to the crazy low chilly temps, she was so stiff she could barely move yesterday. Where is that summer? It's ruining my Mom Plans! 

Instead, I spent the day working on my Neon Floral Fluevogs (it's okay if you want to scroll down and peek!), and incorporated them right away into my Friday office outfit. 

They "read" as neon orange/red/coral in real life - they're still neon. They glow in daylight!

• Silk blouse - Zoe & Sam, thrifted; last worn here earlier this month over a patchwork dress
• Sleeveless top - Anne Klein, vintage 90s, thrifted; purchased here for $14.95
• Leather mix skirt -  Danier Leather, thrifted; last seen here in December 2024 with layered sweaters
• Shoes - Mellow Bossa Nova, Fluevog, illustrated by me; last worn here in June 2023 with white jeans
• Sheer jacket (below) - Fashion to Figure, consignment; purchased here for $45.00

In the past, I bookended them nearly every time with this neon orange blouse, so why not go for it again? 

I was very proud of my clever layering of this new-to-me Anne Klein 90s top. 

Oh yeah, you can wear things OVER blouses! 

My bottom piece is a black pencil skirt, but of course, it has special leather detailing on it: two leather panels on either side, and trim around the back zip. 

As it was still cloudy, I layered this reddish-pink sheer coat over the outfit, and belted it.

I walked to work like this - yes, in the shoes! - and a woman exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, your coat is so beautiful!" 

• Leather purse - Arcadia, consignment

Well, isn't that nice? 

I seriously LOVE this crazy X-ray coat. I completed wrapped the front so that the two pockets were lined up over each other. You could see my bus pass through it! 

I need to do this over a solid black, right? To really lean into the X-ray aspect.

It was a hoot to wear. My sleeves were gigantic on the bus home, wanting to encroach on other seats, but the fabric is soft and squished down.

The stuff: 

There they are! They were just as comfy as they've always been, only now they are floral.

• Belt - gift from Ruth

Copper bling: 

Did you spot the brooch on my top, pinned to the two ties on the side of the neck? 

• Copper brooch - consignment
• Copper link bracelet - Renoir, vintage 50s, thrifted
• Wood Klimt ring - consignment
• Copper ball cuff - vintage, vintage expo
• Copper ball ring - consignment
• Copper clip-ons - thrifted

Ready for lots of pictures of my shoes?

Art Project: Neon Fluevogs

I last did an update here a couple of weeks ago, and before that, here's another update, and I started them here in early June, so they took just under a month to do. That's about 15 hours of work to transform them. 

After finishing the heel one afternoon, I had one shoe completely finished.

This was taken with my phone, on the deck on a cloudy day. This is very colour-accurate. 

And here they are all done! I spent about 4 hours on this on Thursday, listening to music while the rain pattered on the glass above my head. 

I am super-happy with how they turned out. And I can wear them again - those nasty scrapes are all covered up. 

Adding my "I was here" tag. 

You can see the black edging I did, instead of leaving them the original neon orange colour on the raw edges. 

The classic "Stuff" pose. The layers of leather flip "open" so I can show off my test area and the original colour.

I did purposely centre the flower where I buckle it!

While I mirrored the placement of the flowers, I didn't do the two shoes exactly the same. I did 3 colour combinations:

• Red/pink
• Plum/purple
• Pink/pale pink

I did all of the pale pink in the same spots, but swapped the red and plum colours. Just to make them more interesting. 

You can see the scrapes on the toes if you look closely. 

Side by side.

The same, but different.

The insides.

I'm glad I added the green leaves to break up all the colour. 

The heels. 

The blackening gives the flowers a bit of dimension. 

Of course, because I walked to work in these, the toe got scraped again! 

You can see how thin and delicate the leather is there. The top layer came right off. 

And touched up. Once I saw this pic up close, I added a bit more black.

All fixed! 

Lace-Print Jeans and a Long Vest

I've been playing around in my closet when I get home from work, before I change into my house-clothes. Very helpful, as I don't mind trying things on.

I hadn't worn any of the clothing items yet this season. Backwards hangers, I see you! 

• Nylon vest - Sun Kim, thrifted; first seen here in October 2024 with these same boots!
• Top - COS, thrifted; last worn here in October 2024...in that same outfit
• Jeans - By Malene Birger, thrifted; first seen here in March with a different Sun Kim top
• Boots - United Nude, consignment; last worn here (3rd outfit) in January with a mini-dress that moved to Limbo

I wore the top, vest and shoes together the first time I styled the then-new vest. I'm so creative, ha ha! 

I enjoyed wearing these lace-printed stretchy jeans again. You can see the pattern best in the Stair Pic.

The vest was a good layer for walking, and for the office (plus it has pockets!). Such good back detail.

The black part does unzip - it comes right off! - but I am dubious as to the benefit. I guess I could wrap the bottom piece around my neck like a sculptural scarf? 

I took the vest off when I arrived at the office. 

It was warm out, I walk fast, plus I'd just hoofed it up several flights of stairs. 

The back detail of the top is the best part. 

I love a good peplum! That's practically a bustle.

Zipped up and incognito.

So futuristic! 

The stuff: 

I barely left my desk all day but these booties are super-comfy as well as amazing.

Bold bling: 

I love rattling my big black chains at my colleagues. 

• Metal/green stone bracelet - vintage 1930s, vintage mall
• Steel cuff - Lakeland Art Metal Work, vintage 70s, thrifted
• Anneke & Lars silver ring - vintage mall
• Silver/crystal ring - Uffizi Gallery gift shop, Florence
• Steel earrings - gift from Lise
• Necklace - Club Monaco, c. 2009

I had forgotten that my steel cuff is marked. It says "Lakeland Art Metal Work Hand Made" inside.

I found a 2019 blog article (here) mentioning it and Moda steel jewelry from Malta (I have a bracelet by them, this one here on the right), and noting that Lakeland is from the 1970s. I thrifted this bracelet for $6.00 in February 2013 (here, enjoy my short blonde hair!).

Matching Pinks and Dark Wool

I feel bad for my friends in other parts of the world who are suffering through heat domes and high temps. 

You might not want to look at all the layers in this outfit! And two of the pieces are wool! 

• Shirt - Eddie Bauer, consignment; last worn here in an extra-profesh outfit in April
• Wool/silk bustier - 3.1 Philip Lim, consignment; last seen here in May 2024 with neon leopard pants
• Wool skirt - Megan Salmon Somersault Sculpted Pleat Skirt, Fountainhead collection, Winter 2020, thrifted; last worn here in April with a now-gone top
• Shoes - Freedom Suki, Fluevog, vintage 2003-4, thrifted and illustrated by me; last seen here in April 2024 with a big skirt and a neon jacket

I started with the pink side of this Ralph Lauren reversible belt, a WIN thrift purchase that was also mysteriously not recorded. 

It's the perfect match for these me-illustrated vintage Fluevogs, so it was just a matter of finding something neutral to go with them. 

I landed on this wool and silk Phillip Lim bustier and a plain white shirt. 

I wanted a lighter grey bottom to play up the shades of grey in the shoes, but this wool asymmetrically draped and pleated skirt is the only grey bottom in my spring/summer wardrobe. It's pretty dark, barely contrasting with the black bustier.

No outerwear needed, aside from my sunglasses. 

I also wore nylons and a half-slip - the skirt isn't lined, so I needed a layer to keep the skirt from bunching up. 

The stuff: 

It's been too long since I wore these fun shoes. And kitten heels are all the rage with the Cool Kids, dontcha know? 

• Reversible leather belt - Ralph Lauren, thrifted; purchased for $6.95 (apparently this is part of the group I forgot to photograph!)

Silver bling: 

I liked the necklace peeking out from under the shirt collar. 

• Silver/onyx necklace - Mexican, consignment, Powell River
• Silver mesh cuff - consignment
• Crystal cuff - Juicy Couture, consignment
• Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
• Silver/crystal ring - Soul Flower
• Crystal earrings - Sherman, vintage 50s, vintage fair

Teal Pleats and the Completely Impractical Raincoat

I needed a Jammy Dress for my Monday.

Comfy yet gorgeous dress to the rescue! 

• Cotton sweater - Sonia Rykiel, vintage, thrifted; last seen here (2nd outfit) layered in March 
• Dress - Uniqlo X Claire Waight Keller, thrifted; last worn here (2nd outfit) in September 2024 to the theatre
• Shoes - Groovy Aubrey, Fluevog; last seen here in May with my Halston dress
• "Coat" - Animale, thrifted; last worn here in July 2024

Do you get a teal vibe from this dress? The actual colours are a dark green and navy blue in addition to the flecks of mint.

I love the swoopy hem and it has just the right fullness of pleats.

It was another still-feels-like-spring day, so I layered this thin sweater underneath. I wanted my hair short in back to keep out of my clothes' way. 

I like that my ink peeks out, and that you can see all of my necklace. 

And it didn't get all squished in the ginormous neckline of the Completely Impractical Raincoat.

Why is it Completely Impractical? 

• Short sleeves
• Cropped cut
• Giant collar that doesn't cover the head
• Two tiny credit-card-sized pockets
• A shiny-finished 100% cotton textile, very much not waterproof

But I love how goofy it is - and the pockets do function (barely).

The stuff: 

I picked my comfy orange Fluevogs to go with the amber balls in my new-to-me silver necklace. My colleague CA admired it. 

Silver bling: 

The necklace was lovely to wear - I liked the feel of it on. 

• Silver/Lucite bracelet - Alexis Bittar, consignment, Vancouver
• Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
• Silver/malachite bangle - Mexican, thrifted, Sidney
• Silver/green stone ring - thrifted
• Silver/malachite ring - consignment
• Silver/glass necklace - vintage 1920s, consignment; purchased here for $151.96
• Fingerprint earrings - Daisung Kim, MoMA, thrifted

Bonus! I had a deer sighting on my way home.

Hey, you! What are you doing with that bush? 

"Eating it."

We pay a gardener good money to maintain those, you know. 

"This one's my favourite."

I'm going to have to ask you to move along, sir.

"Yeah, no."

He's bigger than me - I left him alone.

Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Friday Crinkle Skirt Two Ways; Camo Brunch; Boardgame Casual; Groceries in Stripes

Welcome back, Gentle Reader! So good to see you, and I hope you had a carefree, relaxing weekend. We had a busy one, full of plans with friends and each other, and I'm eager to get back to the remaining free time I have left, so let's dive in, shall we? The water's fine! 

For Friday's work outfit, I did snake bookends.

I played around in my closet, looking for things that went with this new-to-me iridescent crinkle skirt, and happened upon my snake-print top. 

• Shirt - Essentiel Antwerp, thrifted; last worn here (3rd outfit) in March with a matching mini, to hang out with our pals
• Skirt - Attitude, vintage 90s, consignment; purchased here for $36.00
• Sandals - Lucky Brand; last seen here (3rd outfit) in September 2024 for a disco party
• Jacket (below) - Adidas, consignment; first worn here in February with green and blue

And it was only natural that I pick out the snakeskin print sandals to go with it. 

I loved how this skirt swirled and billowed as I walked.

It was a rather windy day - as you probably noticed from the Stair Pic.

I layered a half-slip and a pair of wee shorts under this, both for warmth and to ameliorate the unexpected sheerness of the skirt. 

My hair's been driving me nuts lately - I was nearly 3 weeks overdue (Kaitlyn was traveling).

I bused home after work and walked to my appointment. 

Incognito. 

I hadn't planned on wearing a coat - it's officially summer! - but it started getting a wee bit chilly out. 

Accoutrements: 

I didn't carry this purse to work (I use a leather backpack on work-days), but I used it all weekend. 

• Leather purse - Steven by Steve Madden, thrifted
• Scarf - Givenchy, consignment, gift from L

The stuff: 

I walk to and from my hair appointment usually, so while these shoes are comfortable for a day in the office, hopping on the bus and walking home from my stop, they are not good for walking 2+ kilometers to the salon. 

Turquoise bling: 

Most of which is not real turquoise. It's all stone, though! 

• Snake coil bracelet - Whiting & Davis, vintage 70s, vintage fair
• Stone cuff - thrifted, Sidney
• Silver/turquoise earrings - thrifted
• Stone necklace - vintage mall, gift from L
• Silver/turquoise ring - Karen's
• Gold/stone ring - consignment
• Silver/turquoise ring - Glee
• Stone pinkie ring - thrifted

I planned out my haircut/evening outfit along with my office outfit, with the intention of changing when I got home from work.

L and I met up with neighbours Emma and Daylan after my hair appointment, and walked to town for dinner at Baan Thai, followed by "28 Years Later" at the Odeon. 

• Silk camisole - Adagio by Patricia Fieldwalker, thrifted; not tracked, purchased here for $6.95
• Leather sandals - Seychelles, consignment; last worn here in April when my pictures failed

All the rest is the same as earlier. I had the silk cami on under my snakeskin shirt.

Cuffs flipped and scrunched on the jacket, and zipped up a bit. 

A flash of my silk cami. 

Scandalous! Wearing lingerie in PUBLIC. Call the Fashion Police! 

I was pleased with how well this jacket worked with the skirt. 

It has mint green stripes which picked up the aqua tones in the skirt. 

Off we go! 

Did I mention I really needed a haircut? I really did! 

The stuff: 

After my haircut, L picked me up and we dashed home so he could change...and I took the opportunity to do one last change to my James Harden sneakers. 

• Sneakers - James Harden X Adidas, consignment; last worn here in December 2024 at Colquitz Creek with Mom
• Crystal/gold necklace and bracelet - Swarovski, mid-00s, gift from CAB
• Crystal bracelet - thrifted
• Gold/turquoise ring - consignment
• Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
• Stone ring - thrifted
• Pearl drop necklace - thrifted

I checked in on the giant skeleton on my way to my haircut.

The tree she's tending is coming along well. Very verdant! 

L and I had brunch at John's Place - our usual Saturday thing. We missed Nick, who's off in the UK visiting family. 

I played around in my closet, planning around the rain that was pattering down all night. Not complaining, we really need it to help with the forest fires that are starting earlier every year. 

• Jacket - upcycled by Kelsey T, consignment; last seen here in February for Valentine's Day
• Bodysuit - Escada by Margaretha Ley, vintage 80s, thrifted; last worn here with dragonscale in July 2024
• Skirt - Rothco, vintage 00s, consignment; first seen (bought and worn) here (3rd outfit) in February for a Chosen Family gathering
• Boots - Stuart Weisman, consignment; last seen here in March with emerald satin armour

It had stopped raining by the time we were ready to go. 

A misty view of the Castle.

My hair might not look too different - the bangs/fringe are much shorter (as usual), and the sides look the same in front. 

But I've been feeling stale over the style lately. Time for a change! 

Kaitlyn took it right up in the back - it's very short there now. I love not having my hair getting tucked into my collars.

While I was waiting for a bathroom (so much coffee!), a stylish gent admired my "chains and stuff". 

Despite buying a couple of red tops lately, I ended up with my long-sleeved cotton bodysuit for warmth. 

I liked the bright solid colour with the camo skirt. Can't believe I've only worn it once since I bought it! 

Ready for chilly weather. 

I feel like I shouldn't be wearing so many layers in summer...I never took the jacket off. 

Accoutrements: 

The Floppy Beast (as I've taken to referring to this bag) and another thin viscose scarf. 

• Scarf - Zadig & Voltaire, consignment

The stuff: 

"Sick boots!" said a woman to me at the diner. I wore wee shorts and knee-high socks with these. 

Red and silver bling: 

Old favourites. I wore the Frank Turner cassette pin on the jacket's flap pocket.

• Plastic grommet belt - vintage 90s, consignment
• Studded leather cuff - vintage 90s
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Silver earrings - consignment
• Frank Turner pin - tour merch, 2024
• Red enamel/silver ring - antique store, Sidney
• Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
• Celtic S pendant - c. 1994, gift from Mom & Dad

We headed over to Tony and Allison's place for an evening of board games with pals Chris and Alison. I dressed for comfort and lots of sitting. 

Big baggy pants! 

• T-shirt - Adidas Farm Rio, thrifted; last seen here (3rd outfit) in April for brunch
• Acid-wash lace/denim vest - Lola, thrifted; last worn here in July 2024 for a Mom-Day at Finnerty Gardens
• Nylon pants - Cambio, consignment; first seen here (3rd outfit) in April for dinner at the pub
• Sneakers - Ryka, consignment; last worn here in May at Mom's house
• Coat (below) - L'Atiste, consignment, Vancouver; last seen here in May

A tee with a bit of visual interest, and the vest for an extra layer and more warmth.

I've only been to their house once, so I had no idea how cold it would be (it was cold).

I like the surprise back.

The contrast of the lace with the sporty vibe gives "friction" as the Fashion People say. 

Ready to have fun! 

I am not very good at learning new games, so I'd been somewhat dreading a board game night. 

But our hosts introduced us to easy group games (we played Foxy, Flip 7 and Pickomino (or "Worms!" as Allison enthusiastically clapped). 

It was cold enough to need a coat! Summer? What summer?

The stuff: 

I carried the Floppy Beast purse again (it held 3 fancy sodas and had room for more!).

• Frank Turner pin - tour merch, 2024
• Studded leather cuff - vintage 90s
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Red enamel/silver ring - antique store, Sidney
• Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
• Silver earrings - consignment
• Celtic S pendant - c. 1994, gift from Mom & Dad

All my accessories were still sitting out, so I just wore them all again. 

I'm making more of an effort to dress for our weekly grocery shops. If nothing else, it helps me get through my massive dress collection. 

I let my hair air-dry and did minimal make-up - a red lip felt right. 

• Dress - Massimo Dutti, thrifted; first worn here in October 2024 with blue accessories
• Leather sandals - Geox, thrifted; last seen here in September with a now-gone poppy blouse

Nothing too difficult here.

The dress has big slits on either side. 

It was chilly and rained overnight.

Our shopping is always quick. 

L bags the groceries while I pay.

Home in time to finish up this post and then go hang out and play boardgames! I can't get enough. 

The stuff: 

I even made an effort and changed up my purse. 

• Leather purse - Bruno Magli, vintage 80s, consignment
• Bakelite bracelet - vintage 60s, vintage mall, gift from L
• Leather/steel cuff - Rimanchik
• Carnelian/silver pendant - consignment
• Silver/red enamel ring - antique shop, Sidney
• Anneke & Lars silver ring - vintage mall
• Metal rose earrings - Betsey Johnson, swap from Cat

I hope you all had a solid weekend, full of good times! Thanks so much for being here!