Sunday, November 4, 2012

Oct 3rd & 4th - Outfits #3 & 4 - Neutral Weekend

Ah, where does the weekend go? I had a lovely pleasant couple of days with L, friends and a little "me time." Hope your was fab!

For Saturday, I did grey and black.
The plaid top is actually a dress! It's a very thin t-shirt material, so I pulled it up and just bunched it at the waist. The dress is another item that I bought on clearance at Plum when it closed out a couple of years ago. It's by Kensie and it was $23.

I first wore it here (with my "teeth" necklace) in January 2011, and after that I've only worn it twice: here in March 2011 (my second day at my job, breaking in my coworkers to my style), and the last time here in October 2011 for my birthday weekend.
The skirt is a new-to-me Danier Leather one that I bought in August at the Velvet Crease for $40. I loved the shorter length (compared to my other Danier Leather black skirt), but the hidden adjustable zipper at the back (for walkability) snagged like mad on my tights, which was hugely aggravating! I had to wear it with the zip all the way down, but even then it still snagged. Arg.

The shoes are my Tsubo Acreas. I bought them at the Cobbler for $100 in Feb 2010, first worn here with a grey dress I no longer have (and I'm getting all het up about a comment from someone, eep, man, I just let those go now!).

I last wore them in December 2011 with a party-ish dress. Previously, I also wore them in August 2011 with last month's red cardi and my grey chair skirt (that hasn't appeared in a capsule yet!), in June 2011 (3rd outfit, following  my crow tattoo, which is why I wore a week of vests - aw, look at how small Vizzini is! Oh, and our dear Inigo...), in January 2011 with my jammy dress (also not yet featured in a capsule), in May 2010 with another grey dress I no longer have, and  in March 2010 (with a video of my closet and Inigo! check it out).

Let's move on. L and I went for brunch on Saturday, then had a wee shop for a birthday present for our dear friend Casey. I wore my olive green suede jacket and my cross-body bag.
The jacket is cool, but I don't wear it that much. It has to be worn zipped up, otherwise all that collar flappage gets all up in my grille, yo.

I wore this same outfit over to Casey's place last night - us, and a bunch of friends brought potluck for dinner and we had a nice time hanging out with Casey's wife and fam. Good times.

The shoes:
I can tell y'all right now: these shoes are GONE after this month. They are hard, they rub and push in bad places and they are not comfortable. I won't miss them. Fie on them!

Dress (Kensie), skirt (Danier Leather, consignment), shoes (Tsubo), necklace (Bauxo), jacket (Le Chateau), bag (Oscar & Libby's).

My mini-shopping haul:
I may have shrieked when I saw the "Chat Noir" socks in the window at Oscar & Libby's (I just love that store!). Joni at Walking Colors wore a pair of these just the other day here and I was agog! Aren't they amazing? L bought them for me, along with the bird-on-a-wire grey socks.

L also bought me Bust Magazine (love it, check it out!), and I bought myself that Neil Gaiman book of short stories and the Kim Harrison (writing at Dawn Cook) book. I am a sucker for fantasy lit! 

Today, the time change messed with me and I got up really early and worked on the October recap post (it's up, check it out!). I also dyed my hair, which really needed it. 
I got groceries then walked over to the Velvet Crease (hello! love your store!), and had a nice little browse around. I'm also linking up today's outfit to "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style - go! Now!

This cardigan is new - I bought it here from Dots in August for $24.99. It's a good basic neutral - and yes, I'm counting olive as a neutral this month. 

The cream top is one of my cotton/spandex layering long-sleeved tees. It's not part of the capsule. 

The skirt is by Cache and your eyes do not deceive you: it's acid wash!
I spotted it at Value Village in June 2010 (2nd outfit, past me and my gals) while killing time before meeting up with the Winesday Core Four - it was $7.99. 

I've also worn it here again in June 2010 with a very frilly blouse (no longer have it), in July 2010 (with snakeskin shoes that I just got rid of) and then not again until April 2011 (aw, pics of Inigo on the scratching post)...and apparently that's it! I haven't worn this in well over a year!
And with such a sparkly bum!
Of course, the boots are highly distracting, aren't they? I bought these with birthday money while out with my niece Zoe a couple of years ago in October 2010. They were $250.00 and are by Pegabo.

My requirements for over-the-knee boots then (and now) were: must not be pirate boots and must not be hooker boots. There's a bit of a self-examination there about thigh-high boots and a mini skirt and how age appropriate both are to me at the (then) age of 43. I'm pretty much over that. I wear what I want!

You'll be happy to know these lovely olive suede boots no longer stink like they did when I bought them, and have become soft and slouchy. They're quite warm, so they only get worn in the fall/winter months. I last wore them in January 2012 (here with stripes), and previously in November 2011 (again with a mini), on St. Patrick's Day in March 2011 (with last month's green sweater), earlier that March with skinny jeans and a frock coat, in February 2011 (with purple, and a rant about "literally," hee hee), in December 2010 (past the pics of our trip to Florida), and in November 2010 (with a blouse that I love but haven't worn yet this year).

Although it was warm-ish out, I needed another layer. I've been having fun digging in my collection of suede and leather jackets:
This one was picked up while on vacation visiting L's folks a few years ago. It's not the greatest cut or quality, so I'll probably pass it along at some point. As outerwear, it's not part of the capsule.

Cardigan (Press), top (Noa Noa), skirt (Cache, thrifted), boots (Pegabo), jacket (BUM Equipment, thrifted).

And yes, I did find a few things at the Velvet Crease! I just mentioned in my October recap that I needed a dark red/burgundy top, and lo, I found one:
It's by ACW Design and is made in the USA. It was $24.00. I love that stretchy soft velveteen!

I adore this peacock blue tailored button-down shirt.
It has gorgeous under-bust seaming and 3/4 sleeves with those button-through faux cufflinks. I am going to have to dig out some of L's good cufflinks to wear with this! It was $28.00 but it's Banana Republic, so I'm pretty sure it sold for a lot more than that new. It's from Fall 2010, according to the label.

I was really excited about this piece, though! Shopping second-hand is so much better than new - I would never find anything as cool as this in a mall!
It was marked as a jacket, and it's definitely meant to be worn over clothes, but it's made like a wrap dress, out of a very stretchy thick t-shirt-y/sweatsuit material. It's black with contrast stitching. The front "skirt" is open to the waist, but the back goes down nearly to the ankles. The neckline is very wide, nearly off the shoulders.

The label is Kania (I intended to link to their site, but it doesn't load properly, arg), which I've never heard of, but is apparently Canadian - this jacket is marked "Made in Canada." This is the Goddess Wrap, and here's a picture of it in white in this article*. Ah, here's* a picture of the black one! Cool, eh?
*linking 'cause I love, although I would have preferred to link to their actual site.

This was $42.00 - according to some more digging I did, the Goddess Wrap sells for $229.00. Score!

A fun weekend! Hope yours was great!
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30 For 30 Challenge - October Recap

Sorry for the delay - these posts take a long time to write and format!

Nine months down...3 to go! The end is in sight! Here's my recap of the 30 For 30 For 12 challenge for October.

[Warning: this is a big post]
Summary of Items with Links to Pictures

Shoes/Boots: 7 pairs

Skirts: 7

Tops: 4

Sweaters/Cardigans: 7

Jackets/Blazers: 4

Pants: 0

Dresses: 1

Other: 0


General Observations on October's Capsule
  • I feel this was one of my strongest months - following September, one of my weakest! Part of the reason for it being strong is the changeover from my spring/summer wardrobe to my fall/winter wardrobe. I had all of the autumn/winter clothes to choose from (aside from what I wore earlier in the year in February/March), so my selection was quite wide. 
  • My colours were balanced well with neutrals. One of the biggest lessons I'm taking away from this year-long challenge is the value of neutrals. I had a good mix of black, brown, tan and navy to play off the strong autumnal palette of reds, oranges, mustards, greens and blues. It made for lots of fun combinations, and I felt like there were many more outfits I could have made still. I ran out of month!
  • 9 of my items were not thrifted, consignment or gifts. I am pleased to have at least 2/3 second-hand in my capsules - it means that I'm seeking out good quality at affordable prices, and the new pieces that I do buy were either investment shoes (hello, 3 pairs of Fluevogs!) or pieces that I've had for 2-5 years.
  • A good variety of shapes in the skirt department was welcome. I had the choice of full or pencil, long and short. I stuck with mostly fitted tops and emphasized waists - this is my favourite look on my body, and it suits my shape.
  • Tights came out as a major player. I love how they can completely transform a look into something special. I'm always on the lookout for fun patterns; many of my tights are several years old, and are rotated (I have a big collection) to keep them from getting worn out. 
  • Obi belts were big this month. As mentioned, I emphasized the waist on a lot of this month's outfits, and I love how wide belts define the waist. They also force me to hold my posture! 
  • Accessories were much stronger, with bold pieces like the black stomacher, the mink rose and the swallow necklace (yay, thanks, Mom!) making strong statements. I also had a lot of fun doing multiple rings and leather wrist cuffs to give my outfits an edge. 

What Got Worn the Most/Least

Shoes: The boots took the lead here: the black laced boots were worn 7 times, and the Mini Babycakes brown Fluevog boots were worn 6 times. The black granny shoes were also worn 6 times, followed by the Coffee booties at 4 times. The QTee Minis were worn only 3 times, along with the heeled red loafers. Least worn were the beige heels at only twice - they were the highest heel in this month's capsule, so that makes sense.

Skirts: This month's skirt selection was pretty even, with the red pencil skirt and the green tweed skirt each being worn 5 times each. I got 4 wears out of the silk barn skirt and the snowflake skirt, with 3 wears each for the navy/tan plaid pencil skirt, the brown midi A-line skirt and the Smoking Lily linen skirt.

Pants: No pants. Didn't miss 'em. I have only worn one pair of jeans (my dark-wash cropped ones in the February capsule) all year. I'm really not missing jeans in my wardrobe. I thought I would.

Tops: Tops were fairly strong this month. The mustard ruffle blouse and the crazy patterned long-sleeved shirt were worn 3 times each, with the rust beaded V-neck and the paramecium blouse each getting worn twice.

Sweaters/Cardigans: I had a lot of sweaters, and could have gone one less and not missed it. The number of wearings in this category is the most uneven The poor crane cardigan was only worn once, and the black short-sleeved sweater was worn 5 times. The blue V-neck and the green bell-sleeved sweater were each worn 3 times, and the mustard cowl-neck, the red cardi and the lime cashmere sweater were each worn twice.

Jackets/Blazers: I was pretty happy with the jackets/blazers this month. They were all worn 3 times, with the exception of the brown plaid jacket, which was worn twice.

Dresses: I only had the one red plaid dress this month, and it performed admirably. It was worn 3 times.

Other: There weren't any "other" items this month. 

What I Would Do Differently Next Month
  • As I said above, I was happy with this month's capsule. I might have dumped one of the sweaters in favour of a pair of trousers, or another dress, but overall, it was a good mix.
  • Learning from this month's massive try-on before solidifying the capsule, it really helped to know how pieces would work together. I also semi-planned a bunch of outfits beforehand, including my Hallowe'en costume! 
  • I had a lot of classics in the October capsule (black sweater, red cardigan, pencil skirts, black boots, black shoes) which really helped make the more difficult-to-style pieces easier
  • I really liked allowing myself an extra Wild Card outfit to accommodate a Hallowe'en party. If we have multiple parties in November/December, I may extend that relaxing of my rules to those months as well.

What is Leaving My Closet

This is a first: nothing is leaving my closet this month. I really liked all the pieces, although I'm iffy on some of them.

What's on the Fence
  • The beige shoes. They're not particularly comfortable, but they fulfill a function as "the nude shoe."
  • The red pencil skirt. It wrinkles like crazy and I can't get a stain out of it (yes, I've tried everything), but I'll hang onto it until I find a new one. A red pencil skirt is a classic!
  • The mustard cowl-necked sweater. It bags out when I wear it, although it works if I tuck it in.
  • The cranes cardigan. It's pilling quite badly under the arms, and I feel like I've gotten quite a lot of wear out of it. However, I do love it, so I'm hanging onto it for now.
  • The orange velvet jacket. It's a bit big, it's bulky and hard to wear outerwear over it, and I'm not completely enamoured with the collar/neckline. But that colour! And velvet!
These are back in my wardrobe for now, and may be removed after I've "rested" from them.


Looking Forward to Wearing Again
  • The Fluevog brown boots. These rock my world. They're so comfortable and unique. 
  • The black laced boots. Such a gorgeous shape and so classic. They go with everything and make every outfit better.
  • The green tweed suit skirt. It's such a good fit and shape. Who knew that green tweed was so versatile?
  • The red plaid dress. I was actually contemplating getting rid of this prior to this month's capsule. It had been ages since I'd worn it, and I thought it was too limited with how I could wear it. I was happily proven wrong this month, and have saved an awesome dress.

How I'm Feeling About the Year-Long Challenge So Far
The best month so far, in my opinion! October is up there with my other favourite months (May and March). All the items were really cohesive and I liked nearly every outfit. At the end of last month, I was feeling really discouraged, but I'm glad I soldiered on and stuck with it, because my enthusiasm has been revived!

I had a good mix of colours, shapes and textures, and in general, stuck with a classic look, incorporating neutrals along with my trademark vivid colours. I worked the accessories - from tights to belts to jewelry - and never felt like I was completely duplicating an outfit, even though there were a few that were similar.

I did miss having a denim piece in this capsule (the snowflake skirt is a heavy denim-weight cotton) for weekend looks and Casual Fridays, but it's not like I was at a loss for funky looks. I mentioned last month that I thought maybe I was over the rocker look of layered t-shirts and jeans, but I felt that I managed to pull off my own punk/rocker vibe through accessories rather than making the clothes do the work. This resulted in some more interesting (to me) looks.

My shopping continues to have better focus (I'm on the lookout for a burgundy sweater or cardigan, a red pencil skirt and some tops for the December capsule, for example), and nearly all of it has been thrift/consignment. I'm also looking to reduce the number of cheap overseas-made accessories in favour of local product.

Reading "Over-Dressed" impacted how I'm thinking about new clothes. After this capsule challenge is over, I'm looking at setting a personal mandate of how and what I shop for. I love shopping and seeking those amazing pieces, but I'm becoming much more aware of how my choices affect our world. I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. I'm looking at labels and where things are made (even when shopping second-hand) and I'm making more deliberate choices.

And now we're onto November - all neutrals! Then only 2 months left and it will be done. I can't believe how quickly this challenge has gone by. For the most part, this has been an exciting journey and I'm amazed at the insight I've gleaned into my own patterns, behaviours and motivations, both in shopping and dressing. I feel like my closet is much more carefully curated than it has ever been.

Three months to go! Onward!

--------------------------------
Now...To refresh your memory, here are all the outfits together. I made 30 outfits this month. You can click to embiggen the pictures, and click on the captioned dates to go to the original posts for more pictures.
Oct 1st
Oct 2nd
Oct 3rd
Oct 4th
Oct 5th
Oct 6th
Oct 7th
Oct 9th
Oct 10th
Oct 11th
Oct 12th
Oct 13th - Pt. 1
Oct 13th - Pt. 2
Oct 14th
Oct 15th
Oct 16th
Oct 17th
Oct 18th
Oct 19th
Oct 20th
Oct 21st
Oct 22nd
Oct 23rd
Oct 24th
Oct 25th
Oct 26th
Oct 27th
Oct 29th
Oct 30th
Oct 31st

Vote! You can vote for your favourite outfits here (you can select more than one outfit, it's okay!):
Show the love for your favourites!
  
pollcode.com free polls 
What About the Wild Card Outfit?

I used my October Wild Card for this gorgeous deep burgundy locally-made dress which I wore for my birthday party! I also allowed myself an extra outfit for Hallowe'en fun (this steampunk vampire slayer), but my actual Hallowe'en costume was made out of the items in my capsule (I planned for that!).

At the end of the challenge year (next January), there will be a vote for Best Wild Card.
------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed seeing my capsule and reading the recap! Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for reading if you made it this far!

Cheers,
Sheila
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Friday, November 2, 2012

Nov 2nd - Outfit #2 - Long and Lean

Happy Friday! I stopped for a little shop and a slice of pizza and a beer on the way home, and I was soaked from the rain and it was nearly dark when I made it home, so no stair shot for you! 

Instead, I offer my lightened morning shots (when it is also dark out). 

I was shocked at how flattering this maxi skirt was when I first tried it on at My Sister's Closet back in September (here, way down at the bottom). 
It hang so nicely - no "light bulb" effect, no "ice cream cone" butt!
I paid $18.98 for it - it's 100% knitted wool and is not lined (I have a slip to the knee on), and there is no waistband, just a narrower "cuff" that folds over. I also get a kick out of the sizing: XL.The brand is Animale, which I've never heard of, but they are based in Bali, and are known for high-quality sportswear with a professional twist. I can see it - this is a gorgeous skirt.

The jacket was also acquired at My Sister's Closet, back here in July (scroll down past my lovely warm summer walk - I miss summer!). It's by Alison Wonderland*, the same local maker (Vancouver) as my chartreuse velvet jacket that I wore in the May capsule, and was $18.98.
*I link because I love - I love locally-made clothing!
I was a bit hobbled by the small slit, so I just took small steps.
I really liked how it almost looks like denim, even though it's a linen-look weave.

I'm wearing this animal print top that I bought on consignment at the Velvet Crease in August, here. It was $22.00 and is by Spense. I had planned to wear just a plain top underneath, but I liked how all the colours helped pull the shoes into it.

Speaking of the shoes, check these babies out:
I got these at Winners pre-blog, so about 6 years ago. I recall that they were on sale really cheap, maybe about $19.99. They're called "Pumpkin Pie" and are by Unlisted.

I've worn them a LOT. Feel free to get a dose of nostalgia!

I last wore them a year ago, during one of Megan and Keely's Fashion Challenges, in October 2011. Before that, I wore them in May 2011 (with bright red tights!), in February 2011 (with two pieces from the October capsule), earlier that February (and again with a menswear look), in December 2010 (with a rust dress that I grew to despise), in September 2010 (that suede maxi is one of my prized possessions), in February 2010 (with my fabulous Smoking Lily dotted dress), in January 2010 (where I rant about the X stitch on slits in clothing), in May 2009 (in my floaty painty skirt - aw, I miss that. I regret getting rid of it), March 2009 (yet again with a menswear look), earlier March 2009 (ha, the only thing besides the shoes I still have in that outfit are the tights and the belt and the bracelet), in December 2008 (now we're getting back there - I'm in my cowgirl plaid dress), in October 2008 (yikes, with my fake leather pants, before I got real leather pants), on my birthday in October 2008 (aw, with this year's Hallowe'en suit!), September 2008 (what is up with the menswear and these shoes?), and in August 2008 (awkward pose much?).

Here is their very first wear on the blog in July 2008 with an old favourite wrap dress.

I love the inward scoop of the heel - it actually balances them really well under my heel, so that even though they are technically a 3.75" heel, they are very comfortable and secure to walk in. I wish they were leather, but they've held up very well for so much wear over 5 years.

The stuff:
Some old favourite pieces. I wore the silver disc ring on my thumb.

Jacket (Allison Wonderland, consignment), top (Spense, consignment), skirt (Animale, consignment), shoes ( Unlisted), necklace (Melanie Lynne), earrings (Plum), snake ring (homegrown vintage, 80s), disc ring (Nine West), lapis ring (Wendy Brandes), leaf/blue stone ring (handmade in Scotland).

I popped into the Patch on the way home. I found a few things to try on/ponder: a black leather Danier bag for $36.98 that I carried around and then put back (not the right shape for me), a J. Crew olive silk skirt (not good enough quality), and a red leather skirt (too bright, too 80s).

I did end up with this lovely Danier suede skirt:
It's a very plush suede, almost like velvet in the texture, and you can see the nice seaming. It's sort of a mermaid cut, and sits very low on the hips. I think it's from the 90s, around the same era as my olive maxi skirt, which is also a low-rider. It's a very rich grey, not too pale, not too dark. It was $36.98.

Hope you all have a great weekend!
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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Nov 1st - Outfit #1 - Tan and Texture

Hey hey! Welcome to November! Thank you all for your very kind comments about my Hallowe'en costume - I love getting dressed up.

I was really excited to start my neutral November, but strangely, I was more excited about the individual pieces than outfits I'd be creating out of them. As long as all the colours and shapes go, the outfits should work, right? Heh, I guess we'll see how it goes.
I'm so glad there is still some light after work! It's pitch-dark in the mornings.
I really liked how the dotty tights (those are holes, not actually printed dots, by the way) played off the chain pattern in the top. The top came with a sash that was hooked on through those crappy little thread loops - it's not a real wrap top. I dislike being told by belt loops (yes, of course, my clothes talk to me) that I must put my belt so high up, so I cut the loops off and have saved the sash for some other outfit.

The top is new-to-me, purchased on my semi-drunken ramble through Oak Bay with my dear Cat back here in August (scroll down past the sunny blue skies). It was $20 on consignment and is by Talbot's.
The colour of the skirt is more tan than the camel shade above - the first picture is the most accurate. I can't wear tan near my face or I turn into a big blob of oatmeal, but I can certainly wear it on the bottom half, especially when it is a sweet washable suede skirt like this one. The shape is a slight A-line, and I love the length - it's almost Victorian looking.

I thrifted it in March 2011 for $22.00.

I last wore it in December 2012 for a little Christmas shopping (2nd outfit), and before that, in Oct 2011 (last outfit, but I can't believe I didn't wear it for over a year!).

The stuff:
A bit blurry - I'm tired
I thought the leather obi balanced the visual heaviness of the shoes and tights on the bottom. My first wear of the open black wooden bangle. It's locally-made and I bought it because it was fairly small - but the open part drove me crazy. I ended up jamming it way up my arm.

The shoes are new-to-me:
I know, fabulous! 

They are a deep black suede with a platform and an ankle strap. Don't you love the asymmetrical white stitching? The soles are hard and a bit slippery, characteristic of 80s shoes, and the shoes weigh a ton. They have none of the space-age cushioning technology of modern shoes, but they were shockingly comfortable. Part of that is likely due to the platform (the heel is only 2" without it), and part is that they are real leather and are made in Italy. I think they are probably from around '88-89 - I remember platforms having a mini-resurgence from the '70s then. 

I bought them at Regalia Boutique off Fan Tan Alley (it's my secret place for getting Smoking Lily on consignment) back here in June (scroll way down past my crazy shopping haul). They were only $18.00! 

They are by Bata Shoes (crazy, I had no idea the company had been around so long!), which haven't had stores in Canada's malls since the late 80s. I used to shop there - ah, I bought some great pointy-toed white buckled kitten heels from there in 1986...they always had nice quality stuff, even though I could rarely afford it.

Top (Talbot's, consignment), skirt (Skotts Suede, thrifted), shoes (Bata Shoes, consignment), belt (consignment), cuff (locally made), earrings (thrifted), floral ring (Sarah Coventry, vintage 70s), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), leaf pendant (found it).
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