Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Periodontal Armour: Desigual Coat Regret-Me-Not and White Jeans

Today was my biannual periodontal appointment. I don't dread these like I used to, but they are still stressful and affect me for a couple of days afterwards. I dressed with armour! 
And here's another Regret-Me-Not, this lovely Desigual coat.

  • Jacket - Desigual by Christian Lacroix, consignment; last seen here in August 2024 for a Mom-Day at Dallas Road
  • Top - Helmut Lang, thrifted; purchased here for $16.00
  • Jeans - Ralph Lauren, thrifted; last worn here in March with the peacock duster
  • Leather sandals - Aerosoles, consignment; purchased here for $60.00

It feels like Desigual is one of those lines that's fallen out of favour with the Fashion Gawds. When I bought my first piece in 2010 (this dress), their clothes were beautiful quality. That quality seems to have gone by the wayside in the past 15 years - most of the Desigual I see in the thrift stores is modern stuff, very cheaply made. 
I bought this coat secondhand, at the Velvet Crease in 2015 (you can enjoy a Flashback from 2020 here) - it is from the 2012 collaboration with Christian Lacroix. 

I've moved the buttons on it to make it fit better, but they still keep popping off. There's one still in the pocket that I didn't bother to sew back on before I wore it.
It was an easy pairing to do my white jeans with it. I put a deep cuff on them to show off the shiny silver shoes.

I had to shed the jacket after arriving at the office, but I cooled off after an hour.
My newly-thrifted navy blue Helmut Lang top was lovely to wear. It all hangs really well - I'd forgotten that about his clothes.

All done up and ready to face the world. 
My Halston scarf is peeking out - it was grey and chilly in the morning, but was sunny and gorgeous by the time my appointment was done. L picked me up, drove me home and I slept until 6pm when he woke me up in time for dinner. 

  • Silk scarf - Halston, vintage 70s, thrifted

The stuff: 
First wearing of these new-to-me sandals and...they were wonderful! I wore them barefoot and I had no rubbing issues or any pain them. I walked to the bus stop, then walked to my appointment in them. They bounced light in the sun and I saw people looking at them. Yes, they are shiny! 

Minimal bling: 
Oh, I missed my earrings, which were my red metal roses studs by Betsey Johnson, a swap years ago from Cat. 

  • Steel/leather cuff - Rimanchik
  • Silver/lapis lazuli bracelet - Nepali, consignment; purchased here for $35.00
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Silver/red enamel ring - antique shop, Sidney

I found the earrings on the floor by the bed - I must have taken them off while sleeping. 

Monday, July 21, 2025

Fall in Summer - a Big Pouffy Skirt

Welcome back - another week awaits us! The weather has settled into what I think of as "real" summer weather in Victoria. Highs of mid-20s C, lows in the mid-teens, with a light wind at all times. 
So, layers and light fabrics. 

  • Cotton jacket - Jean's by Jean Paul Gautier, vintage 00s, thrifted; last seen here in March with a hoodie and jellyfish skirt
  • Nylon top - Sun Kim, consignment; last worn here (2nd outfit) in March with lace-printed jeans
  • Cotton skirt - Kaliyana, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in March with sequined popcorn and yellow bits
  • Wood/leather sandals - Faith Low Reumah, Fluevog; last worn here with socks in April


"This looks very fall-ish," said colleague Camille, dubiously. But who says you can't wear fall colours in the summer? 
Both the jacket and the skirt are cotton (the jacket has a small bit of stretch), and were perfect for our middling temps. I do believe they might be All Year pieces!

 I love this mummy-like Jean Paul Gaultier jacket.
I like a fitted top with a full skirt, and make no mistake, this pleated cocoon of a skirt is massively pouffy. 

I shed the jacket for most of the morning, until later in the day.
This gives more of a summery vibe and shows off the belt, which is the new-to-me piece. 

This cropped nylon top has a wired neckline and is lower in the back. 
It's the same brand as the nylon two-tone long vest with the zipper (this one). 

Zipped up and incognito. I pulled the wired collar out at the top.
Showing off the massive pockets. I carried my phone, two sets of keys, my glasses and my mp3 player in them on the way home. A+ pockets! 

Accoutrements and shoes: 
I love the 70s vibe of the belt and shoes together. The shoes still feel comfortable to wear (the wedge helps a lot), but I did have a death grip on the railing when doing the stairs.

  • Metal/leather belt - vintage 90s, consignment; purchased here for $36.00

Boho bling: 
I wanted to wear this big necklace with the deep red skirt. 

  • Cinnabar bangle - consignment
  • Mixed chain/leather bracelet - Jenny Bird, consignment
  • Earrings - thrifted, Seattle
  • Necklace - All Saints, vintage 00s, gift from Dominique
  • Wooden Klimt ring - consignment
  • Square amber ring - sidewalk find
  • Brass/jade ring - vintage 70s, Mom's

It brought back fond memories of my former coworker Dom, who gave it to me - she was very generous with her cast-offs:
  • Three All Saints necklaces and a Prada purse (which I gave to pal Jen), first shown here in 2018
  • This Zara coat (which I kind of miss, but it was hard to wear), last worn here in 2020, and hey, those are my now-flowered shoes!
  • This All Saints pouffy skirt, seen here in 2017 that has been for sale at House of Savoy and in my Limbo pile...I still look at it longingly! 

Too bad she moved to Alberta! 

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Weekend Wrap-Up: Big Dress Two Ways, a Wee Shop; Cats of Fernwood

Welcome back, my friends! I hope your weekend has been full of good times. Our weeks are gradually getting busier again, so I'm not taking the quietude for granted. 

After his Ulti game, L and I headed down to John's Place to meet up with Mac, Jay and Nick, who is back from his tip to the UK.
I needed a nice easy dress, with the goal of wearing it into the evening for board games at Cat and Ross' place. 

  • Dress - Boden, gift from Greetje; last worn here almost exactly a year ago, for a Mom-Day at Bowker Creek in July 2024
  • Shoes - Sky High F Razzle, Fluevog; last seen here (2nd outfit) for L's birthday party in June

I shoved the elasticated long sleeves up to my elbows.
Added a skinny yellow vintage belt. 

Nothing else to do but add shoes.
My pink flatforms are fun to wear, good for standing and walking (slowly). 

Of course, I hit a piece of uneven pavement right outside of the grocery store, and down I went. I have a scraped knee and injured my pride, but I'm fine. I was in a bit of pain-shock while I shopped and forgot a ton of things. 
I napped in my dress later. 

More pinks and yellows.
It started out cloudy and humid, but the sun came out and a cool breeze greeted us later in the day. 

Accoutrements: 
Such rich colours. These make me happy. 

  • Purse - Aldo
  • Silk scarf - Alexander McQueen, consignment

The stuff: 
Danger Shoes! I'm sure they're out to murder me...

  • Leather belt - Ann Klein, vintage 80s, thrifted

Bold bling: 
All the matching colours! 

  • Cuff - thrifted
  • Glass bangle - thrifted
  • Silver/green stone ring - thrifted
  • Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
  • Silver/malachite ring - consignment
  • Flocked earrings - consignment

I had time for a 5-minute shop while the guys waited to be seated. A few treasures awaited! 
I can never have too many slips, but I'll probably disperse this to a friend. 

It's by French Maid, a very old Canadian company (you can tell by the low CA number). 
It's probably from the 1950s or 1960s - these wear like iron, standing up to a lot of wear with very little aging. 

There was a white one...and a cream one.
And they were $6.00 each, so yes, I bought them both. 

This shirt stuck out amongst the gross plastic-feeling tops and blouses. 
Ooh, that's all thick embroidery! 

Looks like the 90s to me. 
The magenta-covered buttons and seam piping is a lovely detail. 

I thought the top button area looked a little odd...because the previous owner had ironed it into a standard collar.
It's meant to have a stand-up collar! 

More lovely detail.
So pretty! 

Of course, I turn everything inside out. 
Two snaps on each shoulder seam...someone took the shoulder pads out! 

It's by Bob Mackie "Wearable Art" and is 100% silk.
I spotted this same shirt on Etsy for $63.00, but for me...$21.00. It's too big for me, but L has claimed it for now - it looks great on him! 

After a much-needed nap, we hoofed it over to Cat and Ross' for an evening of board games. I still had my dress on, but none of the accessories, so I picked out a slightly different combo and got ready.
This is the tie-belt that the dress came with - I recall that the dress had belt loops when I got it, but I cut them off, because no one tells me where my waist is! 

  • Sneakers - Ryka, consignment; last worn here (2nd outfit) earlier this month for Winesday

It was still sunny out, so I just grabbed the same scarf, but I swapped out my bigger purse for this snakeskin pouch.
I even changed my glasses to a more comfy "gaming" pair. 

The stuff: 
I had a moment of panic when we were headed out the door. "Where's my purse?" Turns out, I couldn't feel it once it was on! 

Malachite bling: 
I only have 3 pieces of malachite (bracelet, ring and earrings). I like the slow collection - no need to have them quickly, just enjoying the opportunity when it comes. 

  • Silver/malachite bangle - Mexican, thrifted, Sidney
  • Glass bangle - thrifted
  • Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
  • Silver/stone ring - thrifted
  • Silver/malachite ring - consignment
  • Silver/malachite earrings - thrifted

I had to take pictures on the way - the Cats of Fernwood were out to greet us and provide Safe Passage. 
The twitchy lookout on the right, and the muscle on the left. 

She was meowing away at me. 
You can see her little tongue open as she harangues me to move along. 

This ginger fellow raised his head. 
Noting to see here, just catching the last few warm rays. 

And finally, this grey cat kept pace until we were out of her territory.
I love the tail curled around the pole. 

Come on, we're almost there! 
We staggered home in the wee hours, a hugely fun evening had! 

And now, I'm going to go chill out and enjoy the last bit of quietude while I can. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and thank you for stopping by. 

Friday, July 18, 2025

Regret-Me-Not Belt, and a Better Denim Skirt

Happy Friday, my friends, and here's my last Regret-Me-Not to get re-styled, my hefty belt with turquoise "stones".
I had this shirt and skirt together already in my closet, musing about wearing them, so when I grabbed the belt back last week, I automatically draped it over the hanger. 

  • Shirt - Just Cavalli, Roberto Cavalli, consignment; last worn here in September 2024 with my now-gone skants
  • Denim patchwork skirt - Free the People, consignment; first seen here in May with shiny boots and stripes
  • Boots - Donald J. Pliner, vintage 90s, consignment, Sidney; last worn here in May with my Halston Ultrasuede dress

This was such a fun outfit to wear, all floaty sleeves and flapping skirt. 
This is one of the denim maxi skirts that's better than my skants. Yes, you are, you're a good skirt! 

Gotta love a skirt that makes your butt look good. 
I wore a camisole with shoulder pads under the shirt to define the shoulders slightly.

Incognito. 
No pockets so I carried everything in my wee bum-bag. 

Accoutrements and stuff: 
The boots are comfortable enough to walk in (although the toes are a little squishy), so I ambled both ways. The temps were not as toasty, and there was a lovely breeze. 

  • Plush bum-bag - thrifted
  • Leather belt - Brave Leather, thrifted

A very clever - but anonymous! - reader suggested daubing nail polish on the spots that are missing the plastic stones, layering it up and even putting white under it to make it match better. Well, I half-arsed it, and it's good enough! 
It's a pretty close colour, and I could always go over it with a lighter turquoise. And isn't that a gorgeous belt? I was so silly to let it go, and I'm relieved to have it back. *hugs belt*

Turquoise bling: 
Vix to the rescue! She identified the necklace as Nepali - this is a good article here (no pop-ups) about the art of jewelry-making in Nepal, which is mostly done by women.  This necklace was a pleasure to wear - I'm a fan! 

  • Turquoise stone bracelet - thrifted, Sidney
  • Carnelian bangle - consignment
  • Silver/turquoise ring - Karen's
  • Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes
  • Silver/oval turquoise ring - Glee
  • Stone ring - thrifted
  • Silver/stones necklace - Nepali, consignment; purchased here for $65.00
  • Silver/mixed stones bracelet - Salt Spring Island, gift from L, c. 1999
  • Silver/turquoise earrings - thrifted

And now...off to enjoy the weekend! Thanks so much for being here - be sure to check back on Sunday for tales of adventure!

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Non-Mom-Day Mental Health Shop in Plaid Flannel, and SQUIRRELS!

Hello, my friends, welcome back! There was no Mom-Day today, since this hot weather is far too hard on Mom's energy levels. Enjoy the shade on your deck, Mom! I missed you! 

To make up for it, I have a bonanza of squirrel pictures for you - it's okay if you want to scroll down and look! 
I tested out my flannel duster - I enjoyed the way it billowed out behind me as I walked to town. 

  • Duster - Nu, thrifted; purchased here for $22.95
  • T-shirt - Leonard Cohen tour shirt, thrifted, not tracked
  • Denim skirt - Talbots, thrifted; first worn here in September 2024 with a denim fin
  • Leather sandals - Hopeful Sunny, Fluevog, thrifted; last worn here way back in July 2024 with yesterday's cow dress

I'm not entirely enamoured with it, though, and might move it into my house-clothes wardrobe when the weather cools off. 
The skirt was good - it's a white denim skirt, I've had a million of them. Do I love it? Tough call. 

Rock on! 
Yeah, not really feeling this pattern. But it is nice and snuggly.

Thinking about where I wanted to go. 
I was on a mission to get Mom some white pens for the art piece she's currently working on. I bought you one of each, Mom - four! So exciting! 

Accoutrements and stuff: 
These sandals don't get much wear - they are a smidge too high for a lot of walking, but they are quite comfortable otherwise.

Minimal bling:
Nothing to get in the way of my shopping! 

I found this leather belt at Zeitgeist Vintage, after digging around for about an hour.
I think this is a "90s does 1970s" belt - 70s leather belts are usually a single piece of leather with the raw back, and this is two pieces of bonded leather. No marks or stamps. 

Nice construction.
It was $36.00, which felt about right. 

I went through every item in the Velvet Crease, but came away with just two things from the jewelry case.
There was another necklace in the same style, with different colours of stones, as well as a couple of pairs of earrings (they were too heavy for my poor lobes). This is turquoise and carnelian, I believe. 

Vix, I think these are from India - what say you? 
This bracelet has lapis lazuli throughout. So pretty! 

And also very small.
Perfect for my little wrists. 

It's a bit tricky to do up on my own. 
It's hard to find bracelets with blue in them! I'm thrilled to finally have one. 

Nice backs. The bracelet's centre section is curved, as are the bigger sections of the necklace, which lays beautifully.
The bracelet was $35 and the necklace was $65, which I thought were very good prices. 

Stamped .925. 
I'm excited to wear these!

Next door at MONA, I found these super-shiny sandals. 
Be still my heart! Silver sandals have been on my Nice To Have list for many, many years. 

It's a bit hard to see, but they are stamped "Aerosoles." I have not historically had good luck with Aerosoles, but these were too cool, and were very comfortable.
According to Shoe Math, that is a 1-1.5" heel, and are very easy to walk in. They are a current style, called the Cosmos (they run $60-95 new) and they come in different colours.

The classic bottom. Not a lick of wear - I don't think these have been worn.
These are 8.5 (I usually wear 9-9.5), but I risked it since I have narrow feet. 

I found the stamp inside - the silver "leather upper" is a nice surprise! 
These were $60.00 for me, which is fair for consignment. These are going to be worn a lot! 

I spotted this and clutched it immediately. 
I may need a Tulle Intervention. This is six tulle skirts now in my closet...

There is a light brown base slip, a layer of tan netting, and then the outer layer, which is cream with velvet black flowers. 
This has the same waistband as my pink tulle skirt, so it's probably from Dots. This was $30, which is a solid price. 
The only tag, not even an RN or CA number! 

Okay, SQUIRRELS! 

This is NOT our girl Maple on the right, as she has a very skinny and more reddish tail (you can compare here), but is a slightly bigger red squirrel with a bushier tail. We're going to call him Garry, after the Garry Oaks. 
On the left is Garry's brother Cedar, who is a grey squirrel (more black than grey). These squirrels definitely interbreed, I'm told by someone who knows local biology. 

Cedar's just chilling out, having a nap on a nice mossy branch.
Enjoying a snooze, back leg handing down, head resting on the branch. Aw...I took these pics while chatting with Mom in the morning.

"Hey, Cedar, come climb around with me!" 
Garry's the instigator, for sure. Look at that bushy tail! He's up to shenanigans! 

He barged right over to Cedar's nap spot, and started grooming himself. 
"Buzz off, Garry." You can tell Cedar is a red squirrel due to the white belly.

"Fine, go ahead and sleep."
Garry climbed around, biting on leaves and moss on the maple tree. 

"I'm going to go over here!"
Garry crept out on the branch.

And did some acrobatics to get at the cedar tree growing in our side yard.
I love the little paws. 

"Hey, Cedar, are you still sleeping?"
"Yes, go away, Garry."

Finally, Cedar joined his brother and they clattered down the tree, head-first. 
"I got you, Garry."

"Okay, come on down!"
Dang, squirrels are so cute! 

I was stopped in my tracks on the way home from work yesterday. 
A deer! He's trimming the bushes, so thoughtful. 

I'll be back tomorrow to show you my final Regret-Me-Not outfit.