Thursday, July 25, 2019

Lifesavers Dress

Hello, my friends! The weekend is in sight! 
Another lovely warm day - I feel for my friends worldwide who've been dealing with horrendously hot, record-breaking temperatures. We've thankfully escaped that here on the west coast.


  • Dress - Tabitha, thrifted; purchased here for $26.95
  • Shoes - Effortless Vivian, Fluevog; last seen here in April with baby blues
  • Cardigan (below) - no label, thrifted; not tracked


Anyway, a nice day called for a bright dress!
 I had very positive reactions to my dress all day.

And you know what it reminded me of?
Yup, Lifesavers!

Better not wear this to the movies or someone will grab me thinking I'm a tasty treat (har har).
 It was a lovely dress to wear in the office - no fuss, no pulling, no pinching. It is fully-lined (in tomato red) with no stretch.

I love that the red pattern down the front is embroidered, and not printed. Quality!
 It's a little big on me, which is fine. I'll probably wear it a few times and then pass it along.

I wore my red cardi over it, just for walking to work.
 But it does look great with the dress, doesn't it?

The stuff:
 So many options for footwear with all that colour! I could have done orange, yellow, red, cobalt...and I went with baby blue! I liked how the white strap echoed the stripes of the dress. It just seemed to work.

Colourful bling:
I'm practically restrained at only three colours!


  • Cuff - thrifted
  • Bakelite earrings - vintage fair
  • Orange ring - Italian, vintage 60s, vintage mall
  • Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes


And there you have it! I'm off to relax this evening before our kitchen is torn apart tomorrow (STRESSFUL), and we have many adventures in store this weekend. Please do drop in on Sunday evening for tales of adventure! Have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

My Clothes Hate Me, But Vizzini Loves Me

Today's outfit was very popular at work - everyone loves blue! 
Many people noted that "everything matches!" but clearly (at least to me) all of these are different blues.


  • Blouse - Bird by Juicy Couture, thrifted; purchased here for $22.99
  • Culottes - Michal Negrin, thrifted; last worn here in July 2018 with Victoria ruffles
  • Shoes - Zara, consignment, Vancouver; last seen here in June with a denim top



They all work together in harmony - they "go" rather than match. I have nothing against matchy - bring it on!
This silk ruffled blouse was lovely and soft to wear, although I sweated in it on the way home - it's in the wash, fingers crossed!

These culottes are so fun - they are embellished with Swarovski crystals (really!) all along the bottom of the legs.
I only wear them once a year - they are pain to deal with the buttons (which are not round) when going to the bathroom, and they are a snug fit.

But they have pockets!
 Despite all my blues, I'm not feeling blue. Things are pretty good in my world.

The stuff:
 Now there's some matchy - the shoe match the jewelry perfectly.

Blue bling:
My beautiful Sherman set and a bigass ring.

  • Necklace/earrings - vintage 60s, Sherman, thrifted
  • Fulvia Ring - Wendy Brandes


While I was cleaning up the office at the end of the day, one of my earrings popped off and made a run for it. Phew, I was glad I noticed! I have lost many clip-ons over the years - they just pop off. 

Here are some detail pictures of the culottes. Michal Negrin's clothes (link here 'cause I love - enjoy if you like elaborate clothes) are beautiful and WAY out of my price range (she has a store here in Victoria). 
 The buttons are custom and have Swarovski crystals. Look at that gorgeous fabric design along the waistband.

This is the bottom of one of the legs. The design is lined up along the legs, matching perfectly.
 You can kind of see how many crystals there are on them, both black ones and deep iridescent blue. I can count about 50 here, and the crystals are on the backs of the legs too! They glitter in the light.

As I was taking pictures of the culottes, I noticed that...I'd lost a button. Aw! Dang! I'll check around the office tomorrow - maybe it will turn up. Gee, after Monday's clothing ruination, I'm feeling like my clothes hate me! 
However, I don't stay upset or disappointed for long. They are just clothes! Things that are meant to be used, loved and worn, and sometimes that means wearing them out.

Besides, I had this random crystal clip-on earring - its mate was lost at this event (here, in November 2013). It's one of those earrings that got away.
And it fit perfectly in the buttonhole. There's always a bright side.

So, L and I are getting new countertops and sink/faucet in our little galley kitchen this weekend, so for once, I am including a full shot of what I see when I leave most mornings:  
"Look how forlorn I am!"

Those malachite green counters are so 2005, and the sink is probably original to the 1970s. Can't wait to see them gone!

This morning, I couldn't resist little Vizzini's woebegone face.
"I'll just sit here, no cuddles for me."

So I joined him, and he flopped right down, happily pawing at me and purring away.
"You just stay home with me, okay?"

A good tummy rub was had...until he noticed the camera.
"My reputation is ruined!"

Proof that my cat does love me!

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Neon and Chrysanthemums from 2000

Back to brights today! I had to actually adjust the colour on the stair picture so that you don't sear your retinas from this new-to-me neon blouse.
 You're welcome! I consider it a public service, hee hee.


  • Blouse - Rock & Republic, thrifted; purchased here for $14.95
  • Skirt - Vivienne Tam, consignment; last worn here in June 2018 with black and yellow
  • Shoes - Miista; last seen here in April with flower gems and a pirate sash


The blouse is oversized on me (it's marked a size 12) and is hugely long, so I knotted it, rather than trying to tuck it into the very high waist of the skirt.
 It's also super-sheer, so I wore a yellow camisole underneath. I sweated in it (polyester), so it's in the wash now.

The skirt has been in my wardrobe a very long time, since April 2010 (here) - nine years!
The back is a zipper, top to bottom, so you can adjust the slit from the hem to make it easier for walking. The skirt is getting a little bit worn - the weave is starting to pill a bit - but it's so glorious it's not going anywhere.

I checked my Fashion Institute of Technology book to see if Vivienne Tam was covered - she is not - but they do have a picture of one of her suits from 1995:
Her specialty is these amazing woven fabrics - that is NOT a print! I'm not sure that I'd wear a Chairman Mao suit, but it's pretty cool, isn't it?

The chrysanthemums are woven into the pink satin, in shades of purple, yellow, pale pink and lavender.
 I usually wear those colours with it. I paid $30 for it back in 2010 - the cheapest skirt on her site is $115 (on sale). I think I have definitely gotten my money's worth. I don't feel like backtracking and counting, but I'm sure my cost-per-wear is getting down to close to a dollar.

And, how exciting: I think I might have found out how old it is! Since I finally figured out that Vogue online has runway slideshows going back to the late 90s, I've been combing them looking for my "designer" pieces.

Tell me that this doesn't look like this same fabric in this jacket in the background, from her Fall 2000 Ready-to-Wear collection!
The pencil skirt in the front has the same seaming at the waist as my skirt.

Here's the slide of the jacket, showing another garment behind it with more chrysanthemum fabric. Those are all the same colours woven into it. The lighting/resolution is poor (hello, 2000) so it sort of looks red (and may well be), but it's awfully close.
That look in the background is not represented in the slides, but I'm sure that my skirt must be from this collection! How very cool! My skirt is nearly 20 years old.

The stuff:
You've no doubt noticed that I'm leaning much more to flats than heels lately. Heels take so much effort!

Glass bling:
I've had this glass bead necklace for about 11 years. I like the mix of colours in it. I changed the "knot" to a slip-knot to make it less bulky.


  • Necklace - Oscar & Libby's
  • Earrings - can't remember, c. 1997?
  • Amethyst/gold ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's
  • Crystal ring - Uffizi Gallery gift shop, Florence, Italy

Monday, July 22, 2019

Neutrals, and the Last Lang

No need to adjust your monitor! Yes, it's still me - I do wear neutrals from time to time. 
Being a Monday, I decided to go loose and flowy and wear my new-to-me greeny-browny-taupe-y skirt.


  • Top - Helmut Lang, vintage fair; last worn here in February with more draping
  • Skirt - Holt Renfrew Collection, vintage 90s, thrifted; purchased here for $22.99
  • Shoes - Seychelles, thrifted; last seen here early this month with purple velvet


 The colours in the stair picture are the most accurate - the top and bottom look nearly the same colour here.
 I love the drape and swoosh of this beautiful silk skirt.

I swooshed about in the office.
It was quite lovely to wear and was the perfect length for NOT rolling into my office chair's wheels.

Drape and tucks and folds in a garment appeal to me. Isn't this a cool blouse?
It makes me feel like a Greek goddess.

For cover-up, I draped this silk pashmina around myself.
 The colours were perfect!


  • Pashmina - gift from Mom


The stuff:
 I had considered a higher heel, but I'm glad I went with these flats. So comfy!

Green bling:
I had to inject some colour somehow! I liked how all the greens worked with the neutral colours.

From top:

  • Bracelet - vintage 60s, Mom's
  • Bangle - thrifted
  • Green stretchy bracelet - thrifted - first wear
  • Long necklace with green glass beads - vintage 60s, Mom's
  • Pendant necklace - Tiam Family, thrifted
  • Earrings - Stella & Dot, consignment, Vancouver
  • Aventurine/silver ring - consignment
  • Jade/brass ring - vintage 70s, Mom's


One of the doors in the office snagged my billowing top as I zoomed in and out, sadly ripping my beautiful top!
It actually snagged a couple of times - I was only aware of the big rip until I started looking more closely.

I found another rip in the silk near the edge seam, and a bunch of small rips. These are totally not fixable.
Danged door! This is unfortunately the last time for this Helmut Lang top. Aw...Let's all take a moment to mourn. I bought it in 2017 at a vintage fair for $30 and wore it four times, which is not nearly enough!

I am a fan of Helmut Lang's clothing and have had a few pieces come in and out of my wardrobe over the years. He's featured in my book of the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology:
My blouse is likely from the 90s, as are/were all of my other Helmut Lang pieces - all of them were made in the USA.




I went to find Vizzini to cheer me up.
"What do you want, Woman? I'm busy napping!"

I need some purr-therapy, buddy! I just lost a blouse that I really liked.
"You could turn it into a bed for me - it would be nice and soft."

Actually, that could work, although Vizzini tends to eat things that are frayed. Better not!

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Bigass Weekend Wrap-Up: Orange Jumpsuit; Velvet Floral; Masses of Cat Pics and Shopping

Welcome back, my friends! It truly felt like summer for me this weekend: the weather was gorgeous, and it was totally relaxing. 

Kicking it off was Friday's outfit - the return of the orange jumpsuit. 
I mixed the very vivid orange with reds and browns - several people commented on how much my glasses popped against the orange.

This is my entry for "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style. I was certainly visible!

  • Jumpsuit - Kenzie, consignment; first worn here in April with shoes that I tossed
  • Shoes - Faith Low Reumah, Fluevog; last seen here (3rd outfit) in September 2018 for a hangout with friends


It's a very bright jumpsuit - if you looked at the pictures from when I last wore this, you'll see what a difference my new camera has made in capturing colour. This -
 - is the true colour of this jumpsuit! Woo! You can see me comin'!

I had oodles of fans of this outfit - and I loved wearing it too.
 L and I met up with our friend Jess after work and had dinner and drinks with her.

I bused home to feed Vizzini.
Then I strolled back to town in the sunshine (all sunblocked up), feeling very ORANGE.

I wore this bag with the jumpsuit the first time too!
 I like how it matches with the green in the shoes.


  • Leather/suede bag - consignment


The stuff:
L is not fond of these shoes, but I love them. I even walked to town in them! Shockingly comfy for a wooden-soled shoe.

Feathery bling: 
 I had to wait until the last minute before putting on my necklace and earrings that morning. The feathers are total cat-bait.


  • Necklace - All Saints, gift from Dominique - first wearing
  • Feather earrings - thrifted
  • Wood Klimt ring - consignment
  • Copper/enamel bracelet - Matisse by Renoir, vintage 60s, vintage fair
  • Silver ring - vintage mall


The necklace is HEAVY and rattles quite a lot - if you didn't see me coming, you definitely heard me!

L and I played boardgames and listened to music on Friday night - Vizzini chilled out with us.
"I am busy napping, Woman."

I like how Vizzini piles himself on top of a stack of cushions.
"It's the softest spot for sleeping."

Such a cutie!

My two guys - aw!
"If only the Man would let go, I could eat those delicious rubber bands."

We do have to keep an eye on him - he's stolen dozens of game pieces, elastics and other bits and bobs over the years.
"Utter slander! You probably dropped them."

Happy eyes. He likes having us home.
"You're barely tolerable, Woman."

On Saturday morning, we were up early for our game of Ultimate Frisbee - it was a hot day, so I dressed really loose.
Unfortunately, we had to stop mid-game, as Chris aggravated his shoulder, but I was still glad I'd worn loose pieces. It's finally summer here, with temps up to 24 all weekend.


  • Dress - Hale Bob, NYC 2007; last seen here (2nd outfit) in July 2018 for a shopping trip
  • Shoes - Born, consignment; last worn here in Hamilton earlier this month


I usually belt this dress, but just wore it straight this time. I have a blue cotton cami and a white vintage slip on underneath as the dress is very sheer.
 It's a lovely piece - there are a bunch of detail pictures of the silk burnout velvet in the above link.
We went for brunch with Cory, and then I walked to the WIN warehouse store and had a thorough browse.
I did not find a single thing that had to go home with me, so I braved the hordes of tourists and ventured further downtown to Flavour Upstairs.

The stuff: 
 Even just an hour wearing my cleats and sprinting during the game just kills my feet. These soft shoes were awesome for my post-brunch shopping and walking.


  • Earrings - local, Vancouver


Vizzini's been availing himself of the warm afternoon sun on our deck, which is regularly 10 degrees warmer.
"Go take pictures of your new stuff, and stop bothering me, Woman."

I found a few things at Flavour Upstairs, including this browny-taupe long skirt.
I'm digging the brown-olive spectrum of neutrals for this coming fall. This will look awesome with some of my boots, but I'm planning on wearing it at least once before I stash it away till October.

It has a big slit at the front, off to the side.
 See?


I know that Holt Renfrew is always good quality - they don't carry their own label anymore, just high-end designers.
 I suspect that this skirt had a matching jacket once, with bigass shoulder pads!

The button is real shell (you never see that anymore), and this was $22.99.
 It's 100% silk, and was made in Canada.
 I think this is probably from the mid-90s. I've been seeing tons of clothes from the 90s in the thrift stores all weekend - it's vintage now!

I spotted this blouse near the end of my browse. I love the mixed patterns and the ties with the big black tassels.
 The sleeves are double ruffles, and the ruffles are pleated!

It's by See by Chloe and was only $19.99.
 The original retail for this would have been about $150.00.
 I love silk blouses - they just feel so nice.

I spotted these beauties on a display and snatched them up quickly.
 Classic 80s pumps! However, I'm pretty sure these aren't vintage.

They are in impeccable condition and are very well made.
 The perfect heel height for me these days.

Arnold Churgin label - note zero wear inside the shoe!
 They went out of business in 2017 - I think these are about 10 years old.
Not a bit of wear on the soles either. And for $22.99? It was my lucky day!

On Saturday night, L and I hung out again. Just us and Mr. Underfoot here.
"Drop something...drop something..."
 He lurks under the coffee table where we set up our games, hoping for game pieces or stray bits of chips.

Here he is assisting L in the set up.
"I'm helping too!"

He finally gave up and retreated to the gold chair.
"I'm bored of you...for now."

He keeps an eye on us.
"You bet I do."

He goes on full "Kitty Treat Alert" as of 8pm - although he never gets his treats before 9.
"But you're stupid, and might feed me early."

He never gives up!

On Sunday, L had to go into work for a bit, so after my grocery shop, I stopped in at the Patch for a browse. I found this lovely cotton striped dress.
 It has cream, printed with yellow, orange, red, green, baby blue and dark blue.

The red part is embroidered down the front.
 It's by Tabitha and was $26.95. That's an Anthropologie brand - it originally sold for $178.00.

I really liked the modern take on vintage in this grey-blue blouse.
 The keyhole neckline is outlined with a cascade of ruffles, and there are ruffles around the stand-up collar.

It's by Bird by Juicy Couture, and was $22.95.
 It is 100% silk as well - this retailed for over $150.00 new.

You know I can't get enough of this acid green/yellow neon colour.
 I loved the nice drape on this blouse. It is washable polyester.

It's by Rock & Republic and was $14.95.
 It retailed for $44.99 - not bad!

On the way home, I stopped in at Rich Rags, and snagged these awesomely comfy sandals for summer.
 I love the black and white. That snakeskin look has both texture and is highlighted with silver metallic.

They're Wonders!
 Again, the Shoe Gods have surely smiled upon me, as they do not have any wear.

They were half price, at $22.50!
 My current pair of Wonders (these ones) were $100, on sale from $225.00. What a score for these ones! Can't wait to wear them!

And now, one last cat picture, as Vizzini has gotten very spoiled by us being home and requires more attention.
"I'm lacking tummy rubs." 

He is fond of vigorous tummy rubs (really!), with no biting involved. Ah, to be a cat.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend - thanks so much for stopping by!