Out With a Bang! Last Casual Friday

And here we are - I'm done. It feels weird being out of work.

For my last casual Friday, I went over-the-top dressy - 'cause that's the way I roll. To be really outrageous for me, I should have worn pyjama bottoms!

I have never worn this skirt to work:
I have worn it twice before: once for Christmas and most recently for Daisy's birthday party. It's a challenge to wear; I can't take very large steps because the hem (above the bubble trim) is so narrow and it has no stretch, and (warning, TMI) when I go to bathroom, I have to actually unzip and pull it down.

Other than that...jeez, I guess I should wear it more! It's a beautiful skirt. Check out how good it makes my butt look:

Ha! Inigo looks absolutely terrified, doesn't he? He's listening to the beeping of the timer on the camera.

On the top half, I'm wearing this denim jacket (last seen back in January!), a brown silky blouse and Grandma W's pin:

I'm going out for lunch today with my manager, Joanne, and out for dinner/martinis tonight with my former boss at Fairweather, Tammy. Lovely! Now that's the way to end things.

I also sent out "farewell" emails to all of my favourite coworkers, contacts and clients to thank them for being so awesome - I got dozens of responses, and spent a good half hour being quietly teary at my desk. Then I did the tour of the building, saying goodbye to all the people I've known. There's nothing like tearing up in front of your colleagues (I'm such a sap, I cry at everything).

And now...off to drink!

Jacket (Bisou Bisou, consignment), blouse (Mexx), cami (Esprit), skirt (Kensie), shoes (Guess), pin (Grandma W), earrings (gift from L).

S.U.C.E.B.W.E.

I felt like my outfit was very Style Underdog today - not really sure why, but what the hell! It's S.U.C.E.B.W.E.:

Style Underdog's
Color Explosion Birthday Week
Extravaganza!
S.U.C.E.B.W.E

Happy S.U.C.E.B.W.E.! (edit: I am so bad with acronyms. I think I have them all correct now)

I felt great in this outfit all day, aside from forgetting every time I wear them that these shoes always slip in the heels. Must remember to buy heel grips!

I just love the leopard top (first seen here), and this is also the second wearing of the royal purple pencil skirt (previously here).

I tried to emulate SU's brilliant posing:
Hmmm. I need sunglasses.

I haven't worn these shoes in over a year! Wow, that was an oversight.

The stuff:

Mmm...those are such a nice shape. I love my Calvins.

The shiny stuff:

Mom's vintage chain belt, my spring ring and my classic real gold giant hoops. Love.

Jacket (Banana Republic, thrifted), blouse (Planet, consignment), skirt (Jacob), shoes (Calvin Klein "Gabby"), belt (70s, Mom's), ring (Aldo Accessories), earrings (gift from L).

Not Quite Over - Tall Boots Redux

After yesterday's mind-f**k, I decided to go with what I'd planned for my formerly last day: my thigh-high boots:
Last seen here. This is basically a repeat of this outfit, only with the boots and slightly different accessories.

I rarely repeat outfits, but I love this top so much - but it's hard to wear! Not many things go with an asymmetrical hem, let me tell you.

It's also cold out and the heating in the office hasn't been working for several weeks, so I need that extra warmth.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts, congratulations and good advice. I don't plan to stay past this month (I have a holiday booked in December), and I made sure that my "golden carrot" is not being reduced - I will get an extra month's pay out of this (nothing to sneeze at). The months leading up to the end of the year are brutal for job-hunting, so I'd planned to take them off anyway.

The stuff:

The boss is taking us out for a long expensive lunch today. Yum!

Cardigan (Express, consignment), top (Zara, consignment), pants (Kensie), boots (Pegabo), multi-strand necklace (Plum), single neckace (2028), gold hoops (gift from L).

Birthday Booty - and Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

Whew! This lovely extra-long weekend is nearly over, sadly. But I packed as much into it (including the valued nap time) as I could.

Before I forget...I got a call-back from the phone interview! They were "so impressed" with my phone manner that they want to interview me in person for BOTH jobs that I applied for (hey, I give good phone, what can I say)! I will be doing multiple interviews AND a technology test all afternoon on Thursday. Woo hoo! I'm so excited!

Anyway, I was pretty much on cloud 9 for my actual birthday, as you can guess. I received $200 from my m-i-l (love her!), and L gave me his presents Saturday morning: How spoiled am I? Clockwise from top left: a handmade bracelet from India, a Tori Amos CD ("Little Earthquakes"), the next book in the "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy, and a new wallet (SwissGear) stuffed with $100.

We went out for lunch to our favourite diner, where the owner Peter treated us to lunch on the house. They also made me a card: Eggs, potatoes and bacon - it looks like a face! (I had an omelette, salad and toast).

We tidied up the house and I got ready for the party. Face:
I did gold eyeshadow and red, red lips. Fresh-dyed hair too! With my specs, and my little workhorse of a camera. I also did my nails - I rarely do them (I think I was channeling Hillary again). I got these new Sally Hansen nail pens, so I did both hands and toes, then drew designs on my left-hand nails:
Those are the boxes in the background - they were only $3.99 each at London Drugs. I did every nail different, just to play with designs.

And here's the whole package:
This is the second wearing of this dress (worn for New Year's Eve last year here). I found a tube-shaped body slimmer to take out some of lines (this fabric shows everything).

I felt like a disco queen!

The dress is a very bright true red - not the pinky or coral shade it looks like.

The stuff:
My classic gold sandals. I don't even know how long I've had these. The ring and earrings are new, both on sale (less than $10). I love the look of them.

A close-up:

The ring has no loose end - it's like a double set of springs.

Dress (Lori Ann Montreal, thrifted), shoes (Guess), earrings and ring (Aldo Accessories).

I got a couple of other gifts:
A very generous present of scotch from Spence and Kim.

And Mom gave me this awesome Marks & Spencers necklace she picked up while thrifting (way to go, Mom!), and this lovely brooch she found in London (you're so sneaky): She also gave me $100, so I think I'm going to have to go find that pair of over-the-knee boots that have been calling my name...

Happy Thanksgiving, my fellow Canadians! I hope you enjoy your turkey and pumpkin pie!

Casual Friday: Vintage and An Ampersand

And my week of red wraps up with a bit of coral red, in accents. I have been wanting to wear this top again for ages:
I last wore it over a year ago (here), and twice previously, here and here. I don't like to wear my actual vintage too often, as it can be delicate. I also remembered that this one tends to expose me...and with these low rise pants, I had double the risk of having muffin top exposed! I wore a cami under it to alleviate that.

I love the back view:

I feel very Audrey in these pants (always do) - these are just the right width and length on me.

And because it's casual day, I tossed on my jean jacket (I took it off for most of the day, though):

That's my new-to-me purse - also in coral red. I realize now that I'm holding it backwards, so you can't see the ampersand handle properly. Arg.

I got this in a thrift store when I went shopping with Elaine a few weeks back. I spotted the bright colour and pulled it out...hmmm, what's that I see?

That reads "matt & nat - montreal" - whoa! matt & nat are very expensive, as they are all vegan and eco-friendly. Check it out - even the cheapest bag on sale (a wallet) is minimum $45. My bag feels rubbery on the outside, and the inside is very soft, like felt. It closes with two big velcro circles.

And what did I pay? Glad you asked! I paid $4.00.

The stuff:

The bracelet and earrings were "liberated" from Mom's jewelry box back in the early 80s. The ring is new.

Top (Style Rite, vintage), pants (Focus 2000), cami (Esprit), shoes (Tsubos), belt, bracelet and earrings (70s vintage, Mom's), ring (Le Chateau), jean jacket (Ann Taylor Loft), bag (matt & nat, thrifted).

A Little Whine

I'm really good at whining, you know, that really annoying whine that kids can do when they reaaaaalllly want something? Oh yeah, I'm the master.

However, I'm not going to whine. I just wanted to pun off "wine":
Yes, I know, I have a serious Velvet Addiction. I even weeded out my closet in the spring and eliminated 4 or 5 of my old velvet blazers. I can't resist them! They call to me. This one actually fits me well (shorter length, nicely nipped in at the waist) and I love the colour. It's a Zara jacket and was $10 in the thrift store. Score!

It was a little too warm to wear it for most of the day, though, so this is what I really looked like:

I got a few "fancy-schmancy" comments from my co-workers.

The stuff:

You can see the nice rich wine colour of the jacket better there.

The gold bits:

Grandma W's brooch again.

Blazer (Zara Basics, thrifted), top (Lady Dutch), skirt (BB Dakota), shoes (Steve Madden), brooch (Grandma W), earrings (Foxy).

I See Stars

Aw, I have a tough time with skinny pants. First I tried to do them with a jacket (not so much), then I followed everyone's suggestions and did flats/kitten heels and a long tunic (better), but it didn't feel like me.

And even though today's outfit feels more like me, I feel self-conscious about my thighs:
Sheila! Stop covering them up! You don't have thick thighs - you have strong thighs! Thighs that got you through a marathon. Thighs that get you through 300 stairs a day! Thighs that have power!

And still, I feel silly about it, and I know I don't have gigantic thighs...

I don't wanna look at the camera...look at my shoes instead. See my pretty shoes? My nice boyfriend jacket, my lovely green shirt? Anything but the thighs.

But NO. I will not listen to that voice in my head. I will not hide my so-called "worst" feature. For I am...

Wonder Woman! And I will not deny that!

[intermission while I collect myself...la la la...doo de doo]

The stuff:

My JLos are nearly 3 years old now - when I bought them, this was an outrageous style! Now you see it everywhere.

That's all gold jewelry, by the way. The lighting in this room is going wonky now that the sun's going down earlier (booo).

A close-up:

Both the ring and the star bracelet were purchased in museums - you can find some amazing stuff in museum gift shops!

Jacket (Banana Republic, thrifted), silk top (Jacob, consignment), pants (Kensie), shoes (JLo), gold hoops (gift from L), gold chain worn as bracelet (Grandma J's, 70s vintage), star bracelet (Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC), ring (The Louvre, Paris).

The Bad Bangle

I've been meaning to wear this dress again (previously worn here, and here), and today just seemed like the day.
In keeping with the Wonder Woman theme for August (don't forget!), I did a ton of bracelets to deflect the bullets of negativity!

Since I'm feeling positive, I only needed bracelets on one arm. Fewer bullets. Hee.

I also wanted to get another wear of these shoes in before I pack them away:

They just don't work with nylons or tights (or socks), so they are strictly bare-leg/toes wear. I haven't worn them a lot, so they are still in really good condition, even though I've had them for around 4-5 years now. Previous wearings here, here, here, here, here, and here. Yup, looks like I've worn them twice a year.

One risk with an armload of bracelets is the racket you make. I irritated my co-workers (sorry, guys!) until I figured out that I had a Bad Bangle in the mix. It's the one on the right:

It's hollow, so it really made a lot of noise against the other ones. Once I slipped it onto the other side of the cuff, it was fine and I was a lot less jangly.

Dress (Smoking Lily, consignment), cami (InWear), shoes (Franco Sarto), cuff (Club Monaco), brass and brown bangles (Aldo Accessories), ivory bangles (some import shop).

Lazy Monday - Dress Week Leftovers

I have my spacey moments...like when I planned all five outfits for Bride of Dress Week last week, and then forgot that last Monday was a holiday. The benefit is that I didn't have to think of an outfit for today, because it was already hanging in my closet. All I had to do was pick out some jewelry and I was good to go:
(Inigo meows, "Feed me!")

So, a sheer blouse and a leather dress - for work! If you described that to someone, I bet they wouldn't picture this, ha ha! The last time I wore this dress, I went way too plain, so I wanted to jazz it up this time and play with layering it more. I've also worn it here, when I first got it.

I was a bit concerned about the weather and it being too hot, but my office was reliably frigid (it even rained today, grrrr). I wore the sheer blouse again that I got last month.

Yo, Wonder Woman!
Ka-pow!

The stuff:

My fab, fab shoes. See them in action here, here, here, here (gee, I like to wear them with this same obi!), here, here, and here. That's a lot, wow.

A close-up of the gold stuff:

My Foxy jewelry and Dad's ring. Ah....I always feel close to him when I wear it. Can't believe it's been nearly 13 years since he died.

Okay, enough of a downer! Woo! This is a short week for me, as L and I are making the trek to visit his folks on Thursday. I have done a couple of interim posts so that you don't all go into withdrawal or anything while I'm gone, and on Saturday - EEEEE - we're going to a party and I'm FINALLY wearing the new dress I got in Paris. So excited!

Dress (Danier, consignment), blouse (Express, thrifted), shoes (Poetic Licence, gift from L), jewelry (Foxy), ring (Dad's, vintage 60s), obi (Smoking Lily).

Simple and Comfy

Seeing as it's one of those weeks, I aimed for comfort today: dress and shoes, with a few accessories:
I swear there were shoes there a second ago! Inigo, you darned ham.

I love this stretchy dress. It's washable, flattering and easy. I've had it for a couple of years.

Okay, here's the shoes:

I think I've only worn these once since I got them (yup, ooh, not since March! Shameful!). Inigo just flopped right down as soon as he'd blocked one shot, little devil.

The stuff:

I was happy that nothing was overly matchy.The shoes are brown, forest green and grey, the bracelet is jade green, the cami is actually a teal, and the brooch is brown, orange and teal (with a big of emerald green and blue in there). And of course, all the good gold stuff.

A close-up:

Yup, that's stuff, all right.

Dress (Suzy Shier, consignment), cami (Smart Set), shoes (Firetrap, consignment), belt (vintage 60s, Mom's), bracelet (handmade gift from Cathy), brooch (The Bay), earrings (Foxy).

Super Massive

I needed some colour after yesterday, so what did I do? Wore a bunch of black!

Well, I broke it up with a colourful pattern and some bigass shoes:
My sleeves are massive (Anne Shirley would approve and probably swoon), but the heels on these shoes are truly super massive! Five and half inches of red leather goodness, oh yes!

The stuff:

I got those babies in Heathrow airport (only worn once, here). They are actually quite walkable, partly due to the platform and partly due to them being strapped securely to my foot (I went down half a size to a 39 so that there'd be no slippin' and slidin').

I love the pattern in this dress (last worn here) - it doesn't show too well in the top picture because the den's so bright at this time of year.

A close-up of the gold thingies:

Pretty! I do love scrolly and leafy designs.

Dress (Alfred Sung, thrifted), cardigan (Noa Noa), shoes (Carvela), necklace (Foxy), earrings (don't remember).