Dec 24th - Outfit #23 - Teal and Sparkle

Happy Christmas Eve! And since I won't be blogging tomorrow, a very Happy Christmas (or Festivus or Holidays or whathaveyou) to all my dear blogging friends. Sending you all peace, joy and warmth.

I worked a full 8 hours today - although I did go out for lunch with one of my co-workers. Seeing as I am "the front line" I had to stay until the bitter end. However, I was filled with wonder walking home, and had some lovely interactions at the grocery store that left me feeling at peace.

I will freely admit that I wore my runners around the office from when I left for lunch until when I left work at the end of the day! I really wanted to be home in my housecoat and slippers, hanging with L.

Well, let's get down to it. This is my brocade jacket, last seen here being all badass with these shoes and my skull skirt. My teal sweater shell finally escapes from its pairing with the purple cardi (last seen here, last outfit) and is allowed to shine on its own - I also last wore this skirt at the same time.

I actually wore the jacket buttoned up all day, so this is more close to reality than the other pictures. Forgive the sleepy-face and the poor posture, but the smile is real!

The skirt is my tweed one, and it was last worn with the teal shell (as above, link here, last outfit). I love the shape of it.

Better colour.

The tights are a pretty close match - you know I love my matchy! For sparkle, I've got my starburst brooch, rhinestone earrings and a glittery ring.

One last present to wrap, then it's a nice evening of games with L.

Jacket (Ricki's, consignment), shell (Jones New York, consignment), skirt (Etcetera, swap from Megan), shoes (Versace, vintage 90s), brooch (The Bay), earrings (don't recall), ring (Oscar & Libby's).

Wishing you all the best!

Dec 21st & 22nd - Outfits #21 & 22 - The Last of the Shopping and Out and About

Greetings! 

Unlike many of you, I'll still be blogging away over the next week - I've still got days of work, the December capsule recap post, and Major Awards to bestow! You didn't forget about the Major Awards, did you? This year will be the 5th year I've given them out - they spotlight my favourite new (or new-to-me) blogs or websites that I've enjoyed this year. I'm also going to re-highlight some of the blogs/sites that are still in existence (sadly, many of my blogfriends don't always stick around). 

Anyway, I'm here. And I had my Friday off, which was lovely. L and I walked to town and met up with our friends Spence and Kim (and their two daughters), who are over from Vancouver for the hols. We went for lunch, and then I had a nice leisurely shop for the stocking stuffers for L. 

I've been wanting to go "ruffle overboard" since I got this awesome blouse. I've worn it twice with the floofy hem tucked in, last time here with these same ruffly boots. It felt good to unleash the floof!

The vest keeps everything locked and loaded - and is also necessary because the blouse is completely see-through! I last wore the vest here the first time I wore the blouse.

The skirt is my pleated black one that I last wore here with purple and teal.

It swirled about most satisfactorily.

And yes, I did wear these boots to walk to town, shop for 4 hours, and to walk home! I love Fluevogs!

Of course, most people didn't see me in my outfit, because I was outside. Duh. This is mostly what people saw.

My amazing Obakki coat (last seen here), my dark red leather obi, and my long leather gloves.

And when it got windy, I added my pink fuzzy faux fur tube scarf and my pink toque.

I like small non-bulky outerwear pieces that I can shove into a bag when I get into a store. Then I can properly shop!

The stuff:

All pretty shades of red!

I delved into my small collection of Christmassy jewelry.

The top pin is by Avon - I think L's Grandma W gave it to me several years ago - and I wore it on the toque. The big tree pin (worn on my coat's lapel) was given to me by my former boss when I worked in a year-round Christmas store. She was a wonderful lady. The earrings are a set that I bought in NYC at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2002. They are based on various circular shapes throughout the museum's collection, like a compass point. I also have a charm bracelet that matches, with all different shapes on it, but it's too stabby to wear with a coat and gloves. Those points are sharp!

Coat (Obakki, thrifted), leather obi (gift from L, locally-made), hat (Delux, thrifted), gloves (Club Monaco, consignment), tube scarf (thrifted), vest (Le Chateau, thrifted), blouse (J. Peterman, thrifted), skirt (London Fog, thrifted), boots (Velazquez Baroques, Fluevog).

I did buy a few things for myself while I was out...I know, I was bad. But as I said to L, he wouldn't have bought any of these things for me! Anyway, they're further down if you care to read on.

Today, L and I met up with our friends Nick and Karen, and Chris and Alison, at our favourite diner for brunch. After that, we picked up ingredients for turkey sausage chili (yum, it's cooking right now and the whole house smells of it) and we bought tissue and wrapping paper.

I didn't try too hard with this outfit - all super-comfy drapey stuff! These fabulous boots are getting a lot of wear - I last wore both them and this black cardi here, just a few days ago with sequins.

I layered my black fluffy underskirt with my silk chair skirt - I had to have something to pin the waistband to! I last wore the skirt two ways here, for work and a theatre outing.

I last wore the red velvet top with burgundy shoes, here. The belt is by Shi Studio, purchased about 4 years ago, and although you can't see them, I'm wearing a bracelet and earrings by Myka. I love wearing locally-made accessories - it's like wearing a piece of art!

Cardigan (Kensie), top (ACW, consignment), skirt (Smoking Lily, consignment), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevog), belt (Shi Studio), bracelet/earrings (Myka, gift from L).

Okay, this is the stuff I bought.

I found this amazing summer dress on deep discount on a clearance rack at a boutique. It's by Bodybag By Jude, and is handmade in Montreal - I have another dress by them, this one that I bought cheapy on consignment. This was bought new and was $80.00. After shopping thrift and consignment for so long, it's hard to pay regular retail, but I don't mind spending more on Canadian-made items.

It's called the Origami Dress and it's cotton with a bit of lycra. The front of the bodice is intricately folded, and it has pockets!

It's one of those dresses that looks better on the body than the hanger

The back of the hem is longer than the front, and it has a few deep pleats that give it a bustle effect. It can be worn strapless or with the halter strap.  I'm thinking that I might have the sash sewn as halter straps to be tied at the back of the neck, and I'll add my own belt. Self-belts are the devil!

I also found this wonderful Danier Leather black dress in a thrift store for $22.99.

I wouldn't wear it plain like this, of course! In one of the stores I visited, the clerk was wearing a black dress with a menswear-style shirt and tie under it, with a blazer over that - it was a fabulous look! I'd like to try it with this dress.

One of my favourite downtown consignment stores, Regalia Boutique, moved from Fan Tan Alley to the trendy shopping block in the Old Town district - it's way bigger and they had so many amazing items. I got L a little something there, and found this vintage handmade blouse there.

It's cream lace (not stretchy) and has this floral pattern printed over it. I've flipped up one of the "butterfly" sleeves to show the lace better. This is a beautifully made blouse - it's fully lined and all hand-sewn. It was $25.00. I think it's probably from the early 60s.

I also found this blouse - also vintage, also handmade.

I feel very fortunate when I find fitted vintage pieces that actually fit my body! This is made of silk shantung, and it's covered with these little rhinestones. It's a deep golden olive colour.

The neckline is really unusual. I also like that this has a metal zipper - I think that detail makes this from the 50s. This blouse was $12.99.

I fell in love with this sweet little silk scarf.

It was $7.99. I like the red stumps with the green leaves and the weird little birds and butterflies. And what is that haystack thing?

My biggest score of the day, though, the thing that made my pulse go thumping, were these shoes.

I have admired the plastic Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + melissa shoes on other people (notably, Megan at The Fashionable Bureaucrat), but have traumatic memories of the plastic "jelly shoes" of the 80s. I had a pair of blue pearlized pumps that destroyed my feet (and yet, I wore them until the plastic wore out!), so although I fell in love with these, I was cautious.

But they are actually not that high! And they feel pretty good on! And don't you love the big bronze heart on the toe?

This pair has never been worn out of doors. I found them in the 50% section for $43.00. Score! These sell for over $200 new.

They are just so girly.

The shape of the shoe is called the Dragon Lady. Love it!

I spent this afternoon wrapping all my Christmas gifts for L, Mom and my nieces - I had the "log" channel on to make it feel like a warm fire was on! Hope your weekend is warm and cozy!

Dec 20th - Outfit #20 - We Demand More Sequins!

Ah, finally! My long weekend is here! 

Thank you all for your well-wishes - I'm feeling a lot better (see? good vibes DO work!), so it must have just been a 24-hour bug. Go figure.

For my last day before the weekend, I went all-out with sequins!

Flash! Ahhh!

I layered my sleeveless grey cowl-necked sweater (last seen here with the chair skirt) under my purple cardi (last worn here, 3rd outfit, on the weekend with contrasting turquoise), and pinned the side with my sparkly brooch.

The sequin skirt demands to be worn again and again (really, it's very loud). I last wore it here with a more subdued combo of grey and navy.

I liked it with the black boots, which I last wore here, also on the weekend, and they were definitely needed for all the running around and craziness today. I worked an extra 40 minutes just to get everything done so I could take my one day off tomorrow. 

Cardigan (Kenar, consignment), sweater (August Silk, consignment), skirt (Beaded Drama, vintage 80s, thrifted), boots (Aldo), brooch (The Bay, 90s), bracelet (gift from Mom), ring (Wendy Brandes).

Hope your days are merry and bright! And if not your days...then at least your clothes.

Dec 19th - Outfit #19 - Sequins Redux

A quickie today for you - I'm just back from getting my hair all chopped off again, and haven't had dinner. Also not feeling 100% today, so the siren call of the couch is getting louder.

And it was so dark and blustery this morning, that all my pictures were of ghosts. But we slog on!

"Meow, meow, I get in the way"

The top half of this outfit is is basically a repeat of last Friday's, except that I was freezing this morning and added a grey long-sleeved layering tee (not part of the capsule). I went with a skinny bottom in the form of my Andre Courreges vintage cobalt blue skirt (last seen here) and some tights...and some socks up to my knees.

I wore my wooly grey boots again (last seen here on the weekend, 3rd outfit, past the stained glass dress and the Puffy Coat of Awesome) to give my feet a rest. Then I walked to work in them, wore them all day and then walked home from the hairdressers in them.

I'm silly that way. Just like these crazy heels. I get double-takes on them all the time.

One day and it's a long weekend for me...

Cardigan (Kensie), layering tee (Jacob, consignment), sequined tank (BCBGMaxAzria, consignment), skirt (Andre Courreges, vintage 80s, thrifted), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevogs), necklace (Twang & Pearl), cuff (St. Paul's Cathedral gift shop), rings (from Scotland, and Wendy Brandes).

Dec 18th - Outfit #18 - New Shoes and a Skull

Tonight's my last WW meeting until after the New Year - since Christmas and New Year's Day fall on Tuesdays, this year, I'll actually get a couple of weeks off. That's kind of nice, although I'll miss my little group.

Today's outfit features my last "fresh" piece of clothing and a "new" pair of shoes swapped in for the trousers that are now in the give-away pile. 

The first item is my sweater; it is a sleeveless mock-neck cashmere in dark purple. I've had it since at least November 2008, since that's the last time I wore it. It's by Daniel Bishop, and I wouldn't have paid more than $20-30 for it. I do know it was consignment. 

I wore it a lot more early on in the blog; lately, it's become just a handy layering piece. I last wore it, oh...a long time ago! Back in March 2011 on my Best Weekend Ever (with my Desigual coat and my dear Inigo kitty). Prior to that, I wore it in December 2010 with my purple combat boots (hmmm...we haven't seen those appear yet in a capsule), and the night before that to see Leonard Cohen for the second time (not feeling my 2nd outfit there - too much black), as well as in December 2009 (ugh, I hate my hair there), in October 2009 (with more black), and in February 2009 (with a fabulous skirt that never quite worked - no lining). 

Really, only 7 wears of it in 4 years is not very much. I'm actually surprised that the moths haven't feasted on it.

The skirt is my awesome Smoking Lily skull skirt, last seen here with the same jacket, although the jacket was worn more recently, here, with my Smoking Lily chair skirt.

The shoes are my vintage early 90s Versace pumps that I picked up for $40 at the Vintage Fair several weeks ago (here).

I can't stop looking at them. They are pretty freakin' fabulous. Much more comfy than my too-high Fluevogs, too.

Ooh, I love those studs! I loved this style when it was first around in the early- to mid-90s. I had a pair of cheap black Payless pumps like these when I met L. I guess they were knock-offs of these!

I wore this amazingly cool leather wrist-wrap that I thrifted while out the other day:

Only $12.50 for leather and it's really beautiful quality. I'm pretty sure this is locally-made, as I've seen similar wraps in boutiques around town, for about $25.00.

Off to my meeting!

Jacket (Ricki's, consignment), sweater (Daniel Bishop, consignment), skirt (Smoking Lily), shoes (Versace, vintage 90s), belt (swap from Ruth), earrings (don't remember), wrist-wrap (thrifted), snake ring (vintage 80s), lapis ring (Wendy Brandes).

Dec 17th - Outfit #17 - Lace and Ruffles

Oh, we are in the home stretch! I can feel my days off creeping up! 

I'm breaking out all the gewgaws and bling and stuff this month. All aboard for ruffles!

Well, my blouse has lots of lace (you haven't even seen the bottom hem yet) and it's quite ruffly - I last wore it here with my schoolmarm look. I pinned the neck at the top with my sparkly starburst brooch instead of a necklace.

My strapless dress comes out to play again - I last wore it here with the same boots, my glorious (and ruffled) Velazquez Baroques by Fluevog.

I did white pinstriped tights to tie in the white of the blouse - I didn't want too much grey in this.

The sparkly thing about my middle is this incredible hand-beaded belt.

It's by Henry Birks (of Birks jewelry stores) and I bought it on consignment (at the wonderful My Sister's Closet) in February 2009 (here) for $20.00. I think it's from the 80s - Birks doesn't do any clothing items, but they did some beaded bags back then. Anyway, it's so beautiful, but I don't wear it too often, as it does up in the back with velcro and can fall off (it fell off once today).

Blouse (J. Peterman, thrifted), dress (Club Monaco, consignment), boots (Velazquez Baroques, Fluevog), belt (Henry Birks, consignment), pin (The Bay), earrings (Jacob).

It's been a while since I put up some pictures of Vizzini.

Our double-pane windows are all fogged up due to the cold this morning. Vizzini is sitting up there watching me get ready to leave. He looks annoyed.

But then he's all full of love when I get home.

"Feed me"

 He's trying to use his nefarious mind powers on me now.

"Go...get...the...food..."

He's been fed now and is studiously ignoring me.

Dec 15 & 16th - Outfits #15 & 16 and Wild Card #3 - Last of the Parties

Happy weekend! I hope you are all safe, sound and snuggled up with your loved ones. My weekend's been fun: we went to a party and I did some Christmas shopping! 

L and I went for brunch on Saturday morning, then I took off to do the shopping for my youngest niece, my Mom and L. In the spirit of the upcoming pledge to Shop Second-Hand First (and shop ethically if new), 99% of my shopping was done that way this year. I bought a lot of locally-made items, a few consignment items and shopped the Global Village store for ethically-made items. It felt good!

I needed a very comfy and warm shopping outfit - it's been cold, rainy and blustery all weekend.

This is my navy cashmere pullover (last seen here with purple sequins) over top of a t-shirt. I wear t-shirts around the house a lot as layering pieces - this one is a zombie Audrey Hepburn, hee hee.

My big full wooly skirt was perfect for an afternoon of walking (I was out for 5 hours!) - I wore an extra half-slip under it for another layer of warmth and had tights on as well. I last wore it here with burgundy shoes.

The boots are my trusty black ones, last seen here with purple and turquoise.

I added the burgundy leather obi and a splash of Megan Mae's buttonflowers at the neckline.

Don't they look festive?

Of course, most people didn't see my outfit (except at the diner), because I had all my outerwear on!

I like wearing my thick black leather jacket - it cuts the wind better than a fabric coat and for shopping it's nice not to have the bulk of a bigger coat.

I bundled up with my toque, scarf and fingerless gloves and a cross-body bag.

I had fun shopping and spoke to some lovely people.

Sweater (Land's End, consignment), skirt (Mister Leonard, thrifted), boots (Aldo, consignment), obi (locally-made, gift from L), buttonflowers (Megan Mae).

However, I admit that I did buy something for myself while I was out...

That is a floor-length (with a bit of a train in the back) pewter metallic leather skirt! Isn't it spectacular? It's by BCBGMaxAzria and it was $70.00. I found it on the 1/2 price rack at Verve, a consignment store I don't go to very often - they carry very high-end designer stuff, with a good sale rack. It's the store I recommend to people who are ooked out by shopping second-hand.

Anyway, this skirt fits like a dream! I'll be wearing it for New Year's Eve.

Speaking of New Year's Eve, I wore last year's NYE dress to Nick and Karen's party last night:

I did hot pink tights with it, and my comfy Marc Softwalk boots (from my October capsule). I added my leather punk cuffs and my black leather obi.

I got a lot of compliments on the dress - it is pretty amazing. I need to wear it more! I'm posting the above picture as part of Patti's "Visible Monday" on Not Dead Yet Style - git on over there and check it out!

L and I walked to town for Thai food for dinner, then walked to the party, then walked home - and these shoes were marvelous the entire night!

It was rainy and cold, so we both wore warm gear:

Left uncropped to show L's Russian hat - actually from Russia!

Dress (Tangerine Jill, consignment), shoes (Marc Softwalk).

Today, I got groceries and finished up my Christmas shopping for Mom - more locally-made and consignment items.

This is the same top half as this outfit (even down to the necklace!) with my black pleated skirt. The skirt was last worn with my schoolmarm outfit, here.

I wore my lovely grey wooly boots (last seen here with my theatre-going outfit, 2nd down).

Again, no one really saw this outfit, as I had to bundle up again - it's getting a lot colder!

Brrr! Back to my leather jacket and turquoise accoutrements.

Vizzini's stalking about in the background.

Sweater (Kenar, consignment), shell (Jones New York, consignment), skirt (Etcetera, gift from Megan Mae), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevog).

I kinda sorta bought myself something else. I'm not supposed to be buying myself stuff until after Christmas...

But it was so pretty! It's a cowled capelet by Floating Gold Iceberg that can be worn like a cardigan cape-y thing, or doubled up as a scarf-like thing. I loved the soft cream colour and the lavender designs of this one. It was $34, a darned good price!