Fancy Friday: Digital Irises and Cat-Bombed

Happy Friday, my friends! 

I had to sneak another wearing in of this new-to-me dress before I pack it away for another season. 

• Dress - Elie Tahari, consignment; first worn here in March with midnight blue velvet boots
• Shoes - Big Presence Earhart, Fluevog; last seen here (2nd outfit) in June with picnic plaids
• Coat (below) - Club Monaco, thrifted; last worn here in July

Such a cool dress! I like the distorted digital print - it looks like irises.

My hair is a little more purple today - I've been experimenting. 

Love these flashes of neon yellow on the dress - racing stripes down the sides too!

That sweet little kick-pleat at the back is so perfect.

I had some issues doing my pictures this morning. Someone needed attention. 

"What? I'm just sitting here, minding my own business, Woman."

Sitting right where I stand for my pictures, you mean, Vizzini?

"It's a good spot for a stretch..."

Move along, buddy. You can cat-bomb me some other time.

"I was leaving anyway."

L and I met after work for dinner at Zambri's. Mmm...I haven't been there since the Olden Times, pre-COVID.

Masked up: 

One of the cool patterned ones that Cat made for me. 

It was slightly chilly in the morning, and I thought I'd need a light coat after dinner. 

Nope, it was very warm. But I'll take it! Bring on the dregs of summer! 

The stuff: 

I riffed on the orange trim of the neck of the dress and the thin stripes of lavender in the background of the pattern. I loved how these shoes went with it, and our building security guard mentioned how "well-accessorized" I looked - he usually only sees me in my walking shoes, but I kept these on for L. 

I was ultra-Klassy and changed into my sneakers after dinner for our walk home. 

Orange and green bling: 

I alternate which hand I wear the rings/bracelets on, i.e. not all green or orange on one hand. Orange bracelet + green ring; green bracelet + orange ring. These little things matter to me!

• Glass bangle - thrifted
• Plastic cuff/ring - Italian, 1960s, vintage mall
• Silver/aventurine ring - consignment
• Earrings - Stella & Dot, consignment, Vancouver

Wishing you all a happy weekend, full of hot summer weather and sunshine. 

"That's so rude. It's winter in Australia, you know."

You're right, Vizzini. I hope my Aussie friends stay warm and wear extra jumpers! 

"Sunning one's arms helps."

I'm sure it does. 

"Can I go back to my nap now?"

I think I should rouse you for a cuddle. Heh. 

Whatever your weather, stay safe, be kind and have a great weekend! Thank you for dropping by! I'll be back on Sunday with tales of adventure. 

All Red and a Dotty Flashback - and My VOGOFFs Are Here!

Mid-week is upon us! Time for some red.

I read (heh, red) that the cool kids will be wearing red a lot this fall. I'm so trendy.

• Jacket - Dex, consignment; last seen here in April with dots and stripes
• Sweater - Talbots, thrifted; last worn here in July with orange and kaleidoscopic colour
• Skirt - Pierre Cardin, vintage 1960s, vintage store, Vancouver; last seen here (3rd outfit) in April 2019
• Shoes - Marc; last worn here in July with the Lady Garden of Delight skirt

I was sure that I've worn this jacket since April, but no, couldn't find it. 

I love all these tomato-y reds. 

I scrambled out from behind my desk to show this whole ensemble to my coworker who exclaimed, "You look amazing!"

It's nice when one's efforts are appreciated. 

Masked up: 

Red polka dots matching for the win! 

The stuff: 

I don't run around at work as much as I used to - heels are totally fine! 

Gold bling:

I kept it to a minimum - all that red was a lot. 

• Gold earrings - 5th anniversary gift from L
• Necklace - vintage 70s, thrifted

Flashback!

I bought this beautiful silk skirt in Vancouver on our 2015 Anniversary Adventure (here), in Community Thrift & Vintage in Vancouver, a secret store that Melanie (here) showed us, and which I've never been able to find again. I am hopeless without things marked on a physical map! (and you know I don't have a phone, right?).

I recognized the superb quality immediately, both from touching it, and from the vintage label.

Real Pierre Cardin, made in Paris, for $24.00! Did you know Pierre Cardin was one of the creators of Dior's "New Look"? And he's still alive (Happy 98th Birthday, July 2nd!)? Read more here (link 'cause I love) about this amazing designer. 

I originally thought the skirt was from the 1980s due to the shape and length, but once I started looking at it more closely, I believe it is from the mid- to late 1960s. Compare the 60s label here (link 'cause I love, of course!). Cardin went very avant garde and "futurist" in his late 60s garments, so this skirt's conservative cut (although in a very playful pattern) feels like an anomaly - it may be from earlier in the 60s. 

I went into raptures over the quality - look at all that hand stitching! There are only a few machined stitches on this skirt (on the main seams) - everything is finished with beautiful little hand stitches. This skirt is EXTREMELY delicate, so I don't wear it very often. 

I first showed it off here, in April 2015, with today's shoes. 

A contrasting patterned coat (my Desigual by Christian Lacroix one) lets the skirt shine. 

A few months later in August 2015, in a more casual outfit. 

These are some of my early experiments with pattern mixing. Polka dots are an excellent mixer. 

I wore it with green kitten heels in June 2016 for Shoes My Husband Loves. 

It was an antidote to my week-long series of Shoes My Husband Hates, heh heh. Link to the series here if you'd like a chuckle (especially if your shoe tastes are not for clunky-looking shoes!). 

More prints in September 2016. 

When I first wore this skirt, many commenters suggested that I have it shortened to a then-current knee length, but I would not touch something this special. And hey, now longer pencil skirts are in style. You just have to wait for fashion to catch up with style, darlings! 

In April 2017, with a kitten-soft velvet jacket and delicate beaded top (which I still have). 

I like the pop of the blue suede shoes. 

This is the rear view from when I wore it in July 2017 - we just saw the front view of this outfit when we did the shoe Flashback last week. 

I accidentally ripped the top of the walking slit around this time with my ginormous strides. Thank goodness I was taught at a young age to sew by Mom (got my Brownies and Guides badges!), and I was able to neatly restitch it. I don't mind wear and tear over time - clothes are meant to be worn.

In September 2018, with black and white. I really like mixing patterns with this skirt, it would seem. 

Modern shoes always jazz up vintage clothes! 

All glammed up for our Birthday Spring Tea at the Abkhazi Gardens in April 2019. So classy! 

#Hairgoals - this is what I want to get back to. And yes, I have yet to wear this floral jacket this year!

Mathy stuff: I've worn this skirt nine times, bringing it to a whopping $2.67 per wear. For a 50+ year old high-end designer piece? Totally good with that. I will likely continue wearing it 1-2 times a year (spring/summer season only) to help preserve its life with me. 

OMG, VOGOFF IS HERE!

Since I'm one of the contributors, of course, I had to order my own copies of the Lockdown Edition of VOGOFF! 

I ordered 3 copies: one for Mom, one for good, and one for flipping through and showing off to people. 

The back, with all of the contributors. 

I'm the green eyeball on the mid-left side. I'm proud to be in such a goofy, bizarre and awesome group of women! 

I hastily flipped through it. Such nice, thick paper! KLASS, pure Klass, all the way! 

Flip flip flip flip

My poem and photos are near the back. 

Do you recognize most of my rings? 

Wacks of bracelets, a velvet glove...a pair of handcuffs. 

And on the facing page, gobs of pearls, and my snake necklace. 

Rattling my chains, and my old crone-y hands. 

So AMAZING! 

You can read VOGOFF for FREE over at Melanie's blog Bag and a Beret, and she has info if you want to order yourself a copy! Go here, and be amazed (Note: this is a labour of love - Mel gets a measly buck per copy of the hardcopy magazine). I've also added this to my sidebar (below the Archives) because I'm proud as heck of both Mel and me and all the participants! We rock! 

Blue Toile Ruffles and Effortless Flashback

Monday, always my favourite. Time for a dress. 

This lovely toile-patterned dress was due for another wearing. 

• Dress - Part Two; first worn here (2nd outfit) for Mom's 75th birthday in May
• Jacket (below) - Dolce & Gabbana, vintage, thrifted; last seen here in June for a birthday stroll
• Shoes - Effortless Vivian, Fluevog; last worn here in September 2019 with baby blues

It also gave me the opportunity to wear these lovely shoes, which have been languishing in my closet this season. 

I'm also rather fond of all the ruffles on this dress.

Ruffles at the neck, around the arm holes...

And five layers of ruffles in the dress itself. 

Outerwear - I could have gone without a coat, but it matched the shoes so well. 

Masked up: 

My lovely blue toile one that Cat made for me. 

The stuff: 

I realized today, that I've had a blind spot this year with these shoes! They have been ready to go since I unpacked them from fall/winter storage, but this is the first time I've worn them this whole year! Tsk! I'll have to remedy that before I pack them away again at the end of September. We will have a Flashback on them shortly. 

Silver and blue bling: 

Some favourites. 

• Acrylic cuff - thrifted
• Filigree cuff - St. Paul's Cathedral gift shop
• Shield ring - Nine West
• Silver/sodalite ring - Scotland, 1996
• Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
• Earrings - Vancouver

Flashback! 

I bought these lovely Effortless Vivian Fluevogs in Vancouver on our anniversary trip here in March 2016 - actually, L bought them for me, because that's what we do as gifts for each other. 

I buy him shoes; he buys me shoes! These were $299.99 originally. Don't they look good with my travel/shopping outfit? It's like I planned to buy them (I was hopeful, and had stalked them online first).

This is my first "real" outfit with these shoes, in April 2016. 

That's a cute dress, but it was a cheap one and didn't last too long with me. 

I didn't have a lot of baby blue in my closet when I first bought these, so I wore them with this same blue blouse multiple times. 

This was also in April. That skirt had flecks of blue in the pattern. 

With another cheap patterned dress in April 2016 again.  

The shoes went well with the dress, but what was I thinking with a red jacket? Nope, nope, nope. 

A fun and colourful combination in June 2016. 

I still have that yellow wool skirt, but the top only lived with me for a year or so. 

My beloved "stained glass" dress (and that same blue blouse!) in April 2017. 

Complete with a cat who is studiously ignoring me. 

I like this outfit, also from April 2017.

The shoes are all that's left - the moths ate the sweater, and the skirt was moved along.

I went through a mesh top phase - why, I'm not really sure. 

This was in May 2017. 

A month later, in June 2017. 

My eyeball dress is in the giveaway pile - it was always too tight in the boobular region. 

My cashmere tee makes an appearance in July 2017.

While I adored that skirt's pattern, its scuba material meant that it rode up when I walked. Gone! 

I love this outfit and wore a variation of it four our Spring Tea in 2019 - this outfit came first, and is also from July 2017.

I have yet to wear that jacket or that skirt this season - they're coming! 

Pondering whether I should keep this top and/or my culottes, in August 2017. 

I got rid of both of them. I slightly regret the culottes - they were pretty awesome, as you can see. 

That baby blue blouse gets one more outfit, and it's a good one. 

I love when a little ruffled collar and cuffs poke out from a tough leather jacket. This was in April 2018. 

Showing off my pink crystal articulated salamander brooch (it's on my shoulder) in this look from June 2018. 

I have all the jewelry, but none of the clothes. All gone. 

I have all these pieces still, from this August 2018 ensemble. 

Those dotty pants are a wee bit snug, but I'm keeping them! I'll get there eventually. 

Looking wistful here in April 2019. 

Today's jacket makes an appearance. That was a cute dress (with pockets!) but I had enough of it. 

I paired these shoes with my Lifesaver dress the first time I wore it, in July 2019. 

There is a bit of baby blue in the stripes. 

And here's the last time I wore them, for a Friday work outfit. 

I still have both that blouse and skirt, but I don't think I've worn either of them yet - that needs to be rectified! 

Mathy stuff: Including today's outfit, I've worn these shoes 18 times, which brings them down to $16.67 per wear. They're in excellent condition, so I expect to double that eventually!