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Tuesday in Teal (and Adieu to Some Shoes)

October 15, 2013, 5:17 pm
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Why does a Tuesday after a long weekend feel like two Mondays? Arg. 

It's been great weather lately, so I wanted to get in a wearing of this new-to-me sleeveless jacket with bare arms at least once before next year.
"Hello, neighbour, nothing to see here, move away from your kitchen window"
I bought this at the WIN Boutique back here in September for $13.50. I love the cut and fit of it, but I'm not sure how to wear it. Any ideas?

The blouse is my lovely blue sleeveless (last seen here in August with a shark) with accordion pleating around the neck.
The skirt is a crackle-finish leather - I love the distressed "Indiana Jones jacket" look of it. I last wore it in the November 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore it last here.
The tights are cool - I'm going to be sad when these finally wear out. I've had them for several years and no holes yet!

The stuff:
Oh, classic teal pumps, you are going in the donation bag. My feet are killing me and you're just too high. Sad face.

I have not worn these since the September 2012 capsule (recap here), where I did wear them 3 times. But every time I go to put them in an outfit, I end up choosing a different pair. So, buh-bye, pretty shoes.

The jewelry is the lovely set L bought me for my birthday at the Vintage Expo. Loved wearing it today!

Sleeveless jacket (Sandra Angelozzi, thrifted), blouse (Mexx, consignment), skirt (no label, thrifted), shoes (Me Too), necklace/bracelet (vintage, gift from L), earrings (local).
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Three-fer: Empress Sheila, Hockey Camo and Teal-o-Rama

October 17, 2013, 6:19 pm
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Hey, friends, readers and lurkers - sorry for not posting yesterday. October is my busiest month of the year, socially, and I've been...busy! In fact, I have Book Club in a little over an hour, so please forgive me if we rush a bit. Also, I hope to find some time this weekend to visit and comment on your blogs, but you know how it goes - life interferes with the best laid plans.

Here we go: Wednesday's outfit:
The colours are accurate in this picture
I was told I looked very regal and "throne-ish" in this. I got a slew of compliments on the jacket, especially the colour and the flashes of the hot pink satin lining. I felt like giggling every time I told someone I only paid $8.00 for it. Score!

I last wore this jacket here in September with a skull skirt - I belted it this time due to the length of the skirt.
This is my recently-thrifted swooshy grey pinstriped skirt - and it is Swoosh Factor 10! It has a lot of movement when I walk. I thrifted it here on the weekend for $16.50
I think I prefer this tunic belted - it was also nice to have somewhere to hang my keys.

The stuff:
Those are possibly my favourite shoes ever. I last wore them in the December 2012 capsule (recap here) where I wore them twice. Pretty stunning, eh? They probably weren't the best choice of footwear after the Teal Shoes of Soreness, as these are also a fairly high heel, but I'm not getting rid of them. Far too fab for that!

The bling:
Appropriately regal, don't you think?

Tunic (Tian Art, thrifted), skirt (Planet, thrifted), shoes (Poetic License), belt and buckle (Shi Studio), cuff (thrifted), earrings (gift from Lise).

Right after work yesterday, I rushed home to change into "normal" clothes. You know, for those times when you don't want to stand out in a crowd?
L and I went to see the local WHL hockey team (the Victoria Royals) play. I wish I'd worn tights - my knees froze!

The sweater is one I thrifted a couple of years ago, and is relegated now to wearing around the house. I last wore it here in November 2011 (and I noted there that it bagged out and stretched). It's by Banana Republic and it was only $3.75, so I'm totally cool with it being an in-house item.
The denim skirt was last worn in August for getting groceries (here, last outfit).

My poor ol' feet were much happier in these flat riding boots. I last wore them here (after the Golden Disco Queen pictures) with plaid a couple of weekends ago.
My outerwear (as this is what I had on for the majority of the night). I covered my legs with the skull scarf at the game, and had my purple leather gloves on. My wonderful Smoking Lily octo-coat was snuggly warm! And we won!

Coat (Smoking Lily), sweater (Banana Republic, thrifted), skirt (Talbot's, consignment), boots (Aldo, consignment), socks (McGregor's), scarf (MetroWear), gloves (Danier Leather).

Today's outfit:
Accurate colour - it's too dark in the morning to get good colour indoors
Loads of teal/green and none of it matches exactly. I really liked the mix of teal and purple with the embroidered black velvet jacket.

For those who've wondered, yes, I can really see my neighbour when I'm out on the steps. This is what I look at when I do my stair shots.
Top arrow: castle.
Middle arrow: neighbour in her kitchen (I've been caught by a previous renter out on their deck).
Bottom arrow: that's where my camera sits, with its little timer beeping at me.

I adore this wonderful velvet jacket and the thick embroidery down the front and on the collar. I used to have a bit of a velvet jacket addiction and I'm still very much drawn to them when I see them. I last wore this one in the January 2013 capsule (recap here), although only twice.
I have a sleeveless sweater underneath the jacket (my favourite layering - warm but not bulky). I last wore it here in March with plastic shoes, just before packing it away for the season (not sure why - I'll keep it out all year going forward).
The skirt is the $2.00 thrifted teal pencil that I found this weekend (shopping here, bottom of the post).

The stuff:
I was a little worried that I would literally break my feet by wearing heels for a 3rd day in a row, but truthfully, all shoes are not created equal. These Fly London babies were wonderful. So squishy and sturdy on my feet! Who needs crappy shoes that hurt? I last wore them here in August with pants (I know! Pants!).

The plum belt was the perfect match for my tights. Okay, so I'm a matchy girl at heart...

Jacket (Le Chateau, consignment), sweater (Jones New York, consignment), skirt (Selena K, vintage 80s, thrifted), shoes (Fly London), belt (Plum), necklace (vintage 70s), earrings (Judith Hircszy).
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Weekend Wrap-Up: Floral Friday, Art Gallery Hatted-ness, Yellow Skirt and Shoes

October 20, 2013, 4:09 pm
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Happy weekend! I hope everyone's doing well. Me? I've been busy, so busy, but it's all fun stuff, so I really can't complain. However, there's a comfy couch and a football game calling me, so let's get this going. 

First up: Funky Florals.
I wasn't 100% happy with this outfit, although I liked it in theory. The pieces just didn't quite work for me in reality once they were all together. Live and learn!

The sweater is my new-to-me Wilfred merino wool one, thrifted last weekend (here).
The skirt is not a skirt - it's a dress! I last wore it in July 2010 here, but it's actually been living with a friend for the last couple of years. Like my other Hale Bob dress that I bought in NYC in 2007. I've only worn this dress 3 times total including this time (it was first seen here in June 2008), so I was hoping that layering it would give me more wear out of it. I still think that's an option, but maybe a fitted olive blazer would be better than this chunky sweater. Thoughts?
The tights are actually knee-highs. While I like them, they were too light and overwhelming with this outfit. Ah well.

The stuff:
My fabulous Wonders Ayers, last seen here earlier this month while I was having a plaid attack.

Pearly bling.
I had to wear the belt for my keys for work - I think the outfit might have worked better without it, but I hate wearing a lanyard around my neck when I have a necklace on. I don't wear my costume pearls much, but they're fun. I've had the two necklaces on the left (worn as bracelets here) since 1986.

Sweater (Wilfred, thrifted), dress (Hale Bob), shoes (Wonders Ayers, Fluevog), belt (Club Monaco), necklace/earrings (Aldo Accessories), necklaces (Eaton's, 1986).

I had a delightful surprise arrive in the mail on Friday - the Travelling Yellow Skirt! Go to that link to see all the amazing ways this skirt has been styled.

I like it with a side of cat:
Vizzini was VERY interested in the little bag that Margy had added. He tried to bite it.

Then he spotted the sequined rainbow that Megan put on it (from the Toronto Pride day - I knew that cat had good taste).
It's somehow appropriate that my furry boy is standing on the picture of Tamera's dear Diva
He really liked that rainbow, but I did keep him from biting it.
I also received the Travelling Yellow Cape to match. Although I didn't have the opportunity to do my photo shoot this weekend, I'll be doing it soon. I have the perfect "Sheila" look and venue planned!

Moving on, Friday night was the Urbanite event at the Art Gallery. I decided to class up my evening outfit after my slight schlumpy daytime one.
My newest Tierre Joline hat (purchased here at the Vintage Expo, and linking to Tierre's site because she's amazing).

I'm linking this outfit up to Patti's "Visible Monday" over at Not Dead Yet Style (Patti put a cat on it! love it!).

I kept the outfit all neutral, starting with Kim Cattrall's skirt from her Pink Tartan suit, last seen in the November 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore it twice (this is the last time).
My satin ruffled blouse was the perfect top for this. I last wore it here in February with the given-away tiki skirt. The huge double-ruffled sleeves are a pain at work (they drag in the sink, in the coffee grounds, etc.), but were Drama at this artsy event.

The black leather Danier Couture jacket was just right layered over it - I didn't wear any outerwear to walk down to the Gallery, and I was able to stash my ticket, money, keys, ID and lipstick in the interior pockets.
Sweet tights, eh? They are by Trasparenze, one of my favourite brands.

The jacket zipped up tight. I last wore it here a couple of weeks ago with ribbons and paprika orange (apparently that's a trendy colour now - I'm so cutting edge, ha!).
The shoes are my Darjeeling Teapots, last seen here in September with my green ruffly Oscar.

The top half of this business:
To keep it from being too sweet or girly, I added the mixed metal rocker necklace - and because it's October, the snake and spider rings are in heavy rotation.

Bigass bling:
Good walkin' shoes.

I knotted the cord on this necklace just after I got it, to make it a better length on me.
I had so many comments on the hat - tons of people recognized it as one of Tierre's.
I can't wait to wear it again.

Jacket (Danier Couture, consignment), blouse (CAbi, consignment), skirt (Pink Tartan, consignment), tights (Trasparenze), shoes (Darjeeling Teapots, Fluevog, Fluemarket purchase), necklace (gift from Tina), spider ring (homegrown vintage, 80s, gift from Mom & Dad), snake ring (homegrown vintage, 1986).

Urbanite events are always so fun at the Gallery. As part of the exhibit, there was an interactive section, where you could choose images and have them made into a button.
I liked the observer looking at the art in this picture.

On Saturday, L and I went for lunch, and I lingered downtown for some shopping.
It's been cool and foggy for the last few days; my mother-in-law's visit was cancelled for this weekend due to all flights being grounded.

I've been having fun digging out some of my heavy winter gear, but wearing a slip and socks instead of tights. This wonderful velvet blazer was last seen on the Friday before our crazy 70s party earlier this month (here, warning: me in a blonde wig!) - that was the last wear of these boots as well.
That massive black skirt is suede - it weighs about 8 pounds. I last wore it here back in March (2nd outfit) with denim and leopard. I love that it has pockets.
I walked around downtown, went to visit my new tattoo artist (my next one is booked!), and spent some of the birthday money I got from my mother-in-law. I think she would like these, don't you?
Nom nom nom, yellow and tweed shoes! These are by Poetic Licence (I adore their shoes), and while they are made in China, it was gift money, so I don't feel too bad (I bought them at She She Shoes*, which is a locally-owned business). *linking 'cause I love

My wonderful girlfriends gave me a gift certificate to Adore*, a locally-owned jewelry store that specializes in locally-made pieces. *linking 'cause I love

I found this amazing leather and steel cuff:
What is extra-awesome?
Adjustable pegs for my little wrists! This is by Rimanchik.

I also bought this silver knot ring, and the mid-finger silver disc ring.
I also bought a pair of bamboo earrings, but I forgot to take a picture of them.

I stopped in at my favourite hat store, Roberta's Hats* for my annual new pair of fingerless gloves. I've been shopping there since they opened in 1992 - nearly all of my hats (except for Tierre's) are from there. *linking 'cause I love
They are by Parkhurst and are made in Canada - 100% wool, and only $14.95!

On Saturday night, L, my mom and I went for dinner. Had to dress up!
And I had to wear my new shoes!

This is basically a repeat outfit from July - I even wore it with yellow shoes again!
I last wore this Betsey Johnson corset top and this brown satin blouse then, but I'm getting a lot of wear out of this fabulous steampunk-y skirt. It was last seen here a week ago with denim and floral ruffles.
I love the structure of the back of it.

I wore my olive suede coat and my new mustard gloves for the evening chill.
After dinner, L and I strolled down to the local pub to celebrate our friend Zeb's birthday. I considered changing, but I was starting to get tired!

The stuff:
The shoes were fine for walking about 6 blocks to and from the pub. Hurray for comfy shoes!

Big brassy bling:
And those are the new earrings I got at Adore. They are light as a feather, and are made of silver and bamboo wood.

All of my jewelry there is either second-hand or locally made. Love it.

Blouse (Esprit), corset top (Betsey Johnson, 90s, thrifted), skirt (Orwell, thrifted), shoes (Poetic Licence), brass cuff (Midzo, thrifted), spoon cuff (About Tine), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), ring (POLY), earrings (Adore).

L looked very snazzy, so I took his picture too.
He's always so dapper.

And...here we are at Sunday, and I couldn't be bothered to wear make-up to get groceries.
I did make a small effort to wear something decent, though.

My rust sweater is layered over my Smoking Lily top (it's now around-the-house wear, so not linking to past wears anymore). I last wore the sweater here last weekend (last outfit) - that's the last wear for these boots too.
The skirt is my washable Skotts Suede one, last seen in the November 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore it three times. This is the last outfit. The skirt really is washable, in fact, it's being washed right now, as I spilled leftover cannelloni on it.

I wish Vizzini would find my silver ear-cuff again - it went missing for the second time a few months ago.

Sweater (Coldwater Creek, thrifted), top (Smoking Lily), skirt (Skotts Suede, thrifted), boots (Miz Mooz), belt (Shi Studio), buckle (She She Shoes), earrings (Adore Jewelry).

Speaking of our little monster, I caught this action shot this morning:
"What is this magical clear barrier that keeps this rogue leaf from my clutches?"
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
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Satin, Silk Tweed...and Sick

October 21, 2013, 5:39 pm
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The minutes are starting to count in the mornings. Only a couple of minutes make all the difference in the light outside now. Soon, I'll be a ghost again!
In all seriousness, at about 2pm this afternoon, it felt like a truck hit me. Sore throat, headache, flushed cheeks, then shivers. Yep, I'm sick. In a fit of pro-activity, I left my keys and a long list of things happening at work tomorrow with a coworker...in case I can't make it in. I've only taken a few sick days in nearly 3 years at this job - I'm one of those bad people who goes in anyway.

So, forgive me for posting and running, but my bed is calling.

Blouse: silky orange, oversized, love the colour. Buttoned up with big necklace (a very 1986 look, I recall - I should have a brooch on there too). Last wore it here in September with my leather pants and this same belt/buckle.
It's a good colour on me
 Skirt: part of a suit, rarely worn as a suit. Last wore it in March, here. It's silk tweed and very very soft.
Butt shot!

The stuff:
Poor sad, almost worn-out shoes, last worn with almost-Hermes here in September. I would like them in all the colours - all of them!

Shiny shiny
Groovy green necklace from the Vintage Expo (too...tired...to...link...), bought for $14.00. It's all second-hand, anyway.

Be not sick. Going to bed now.

Blouse (Mark, thrifted), skirt (Precis Petites), shoes (Hale Bob), belt (Shi Studio), buckle (Shi Studio, thrifted), necklace (second-hand), earrings (Lisner, vintage 60s, thrifted), ring (consignment).
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Life in a Black Dress, Red Boots, Blogger Shopping and Leia Blues

October 24, 2013, 6:22 pm
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What a crazy month - so much going on, and then to be sick on top of that. But it is what it is, to be trite. Let's move on.

So...I stayed home from work on Tuesday and slept all day. However, I couldn't find coverage for my WW meeting, so I actually wore this exact outfit both on Tuesday night and on Wednesday back at work.
Wednesday morning
When life hands you lemons, wear a dress!

Thank you all for your good wishes - I am so exhausted, but hanging in there. It's a weird flu; no congestion or stuffiness, no sore throat, just utter tiredness and the urge to sleep.

This is my awesome shirtdress, last worn also with red, back here in August.
This is actually my picture from Tuesday night
I went pretty easy this time: just throw on every red accessory I own!
As is this one
I borrowed a pair of silver cufflinks from L, and wore a black half-slip for warmth (I have knee-high black socks on - still resisting tights!).

The red stuff:
Oh, my sweet beautiful red boots! I am so happy to have these back in my wardrobe, after the spring/summer off. Every time I wear them, they get broken in a little more. One day, they will be like buttah. I last wore them here in February without the ankle harnesses, with primary colours.

Dress (Talbot's, consignment), boots (Adrian Agnes, Fluevogs), belt/earrings (Plum), cuff (Rimanchik), ring (Oscar & Libby's).

After work, I met up with the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow, the lovely Leslie, for dinner and a shop at Value Village. We had good luck last time (zoiks, has it really been 2 years?), but I was the only one who came away with a couple of purchases. There were too many silly teens looking for Hallowe'en clothes at VV - so annoying.

Anyway, this skirt came home with me:
I adore the shape of it, and the blurry but bright colours - there is a little blue and purple in there too, so I'm excited to wear it (once it's gone in the wash). It is by Attention and was $7.99.

I had 3 pairs of shoes in my basket including a pair of Italian-leather orange pointy-toe pumps that I'm sure I will regret not buying (at least for a little while), but these were the ones that made the cut.
The colour is a faded teal - not grey (bad light in the den at 9pm last night) - and they are by Nine West. They are satin and a ruched sheer fabric (it kind of reminds me of nightgowns). I adore the little stubby heel. They were $14.99 and were easily the most comfy of all the shoes I could have purchased, so I'm glad I went with these.

I would have liked to have shopped for longer, but I had no energy after about 2 hours. Another time, Leslie!

Today, I had to wear the new shoes:
All shades of blue.

I love this jacket - it's the Leia Jacket by local maker Bonspiel aka Ellen (Etsy shop, linking 'cause I love). She mostly does leather work now (my business card holder is by her). I ran into her at the Vintage Expo last month and told her I had the jacket - apparently she only made a few of them, so I have a cool limited edition.
I last wore it in the March 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore it twice (last time here). It's a bit tricky to style, as it needs a belt and it has that wide stand-up neckline.
The skirt is a rich navy blue with Swoosh Factor 11 - it's the Skirt I Re-bought. I bought it new when I first lost weight in 2007, then gave it to a friend who donated it to Big Brothers-Big Sisters, which is where our VV gets its clothing donations from. I spotted it a couple of years ago at VV and remembered how much I'd loved it and bought it again.

I last wore it here in February with pink velvet.

The stuff:
Navy obi belt and Wendy Brandes rings, naturally.

Jacket (Leia Jacket, Bonspiel, consignment), skirt (Tobias, thrifted), shoes (Nine West, thrifted), belt (local), rings (Wendy Brandes).

And now...off to the couch for some more rest. Ah...the weekend is nearly here. I know you are all anxiously awaiting my big Traveling Yellow Skirt appearance, but I have another busy weekend ahead. Stay tuned!
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Thigh-Highs, A Surprise, Grannies, Peignoirs and Of Course, Cat

October 26, 2013, 4:16 pm
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Ah, weekend! Sweet weekend...but of course, my life is crazy. So much to cram in and so little time, especially when tired. 

Here's Friday's ensemble:
I am feeling better, thank you all for asking, and hopefully a few sleep-ins and naps will cure that extra tiredness. This was a nicely comfortable outfit for a busy day.

I know these drapey cardis aren't in with the cool kids anymore, but dammit, they fulfill a good function: non-fitted cardigan/layering piece. This one is an old Dots purchase, and was last seen in the December 2012 capsule (recap here), last time here on Christmas Day.
The striped top was last worn here (2nd outfit) to the Vintage Expo in September.

The skirt is the green corduroy one I thrifted here (way down) a couple of weeks ago for $10.50. It's the first wear for the skirt, and it is the last. I wore a half-slip under it to prevent tight creep, but it managed to bunch in wildly unflattering ways all freaking day and I was so annoyed with it by the time I got home, I threw it in the donation bag immediately. Gah! Evil skirt of bunchiness!
"I barge in like I own the place."
I wore really cool striped and snowflake tights under the skirt, but they barely showed (you can see a bit in the top picture).

I've had the boots since October 2010 (here, with my thoughts on the age-appropriateness of me wearing miniskirts and thigh-high boots). I last wore them as part of the November 2012 all-neutral capsule (recap here), in this outfit here, over my black satin pants.

Mr. Lovey came in for a cuddle:
"This is so undignified."
As you can see, I wore all my badass rocker chick accessories - I'm beating this cold up through the power of fashion!

I'll try to squeeze in outerwear shots when I can, as I know some of you (hi, Yvonne!) like to see what I'm wearing when I'm out and about. I'm having fun rediscovering some of my cool-weather coats, like this awesome Italian-made piece.
Scrumptious, isn't it? I last wore it in December 2012 (here). I paid $72.00 for it on consignment.

The bling:
I like a little spooky in my accessories in October.

Cardigan (Kensie), top (Finnigans for Truworth, consignment), skirt (Talbot's, thrifted), boots (Pegabo), tights (Trasparenze), tile necklace/skull earrings (locally made), spider ring (homegrown vintage, 1984, gift from Mom and Dad), snake ring (homegrown vintage, 1985, BC Museum Gift Shop), coat (Vassali, consignment).

I had to rush home right after work and feed Vizinni before heading back to town for our friend Chris' surprise birthday party.
It was a fun party outfit, and a good time was had by all.

My leather shirt was last worn here earlier this month for my company's annual meeting.
The skirt is a basic grey one. I think I will look for a lined replacement. I last wore it here in September when I put on a tough face for the dentist.

The tights are pretty cool, eh? I found them at Heart's Content in Fan Tan Alley - they're made in England.
My fabulous red birthday shoes came out to party again. I last wore them here on my birthday.

Blurry and in a hurry!
 Same coat as during the day, plus my fingerless gloves for the chill of the evening.
Working on a better back-view pose
The fascinator tickled my fancy. Why not?

The bling:
Leather and studs.

Shirt (Danier Leather, thrifted), shell (Spense, thrifted), skirt (Plum), tights/fascinator (Heart's Content), shoes (Marc), cuff (Guess, thrifted), studded cuff (homegrown vintage, 80s), red cuff (Rimanchik), earrings (locally made).

After a lovely sleep-in (thank you, L), L and I went for our weekly brunch.
I like long sleek lines on the weekends. I forgot to take a picture of my bling today, but it's the same earrings and rings as Friday daytime, and the necklace is my octopus Mahjong tile (this one).

This sweater is such a great colour, and I love the bell sleeves and that it's a thin weight. I picked it up at Winners a few years ago.
I last wore it in the October 2012 capsule (recap here), last time worn here with my paramecium shirt under it (ooh, I need to wear that again soon!).
I like how this pose makes my butt look
The skirt is my lovely new-to-me grey pinstriped mermaid, last worn here last week with my Empress Sheila jacket. It is truly lovely to wear, all swooshy and full.

I wore my granny shoes with a pair of grey socks (still not so cold that I need tights regularly, thank goodness).
I last wore them also in the October 2012 capsule (recap here), in the last outfit of the month, my Hallowe'en costume! Check it out here - I was Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and yes, I wore that to work and worked in it all day.

The shoes are amazing to walk in - I loved rediscovering that today. Plus, I thrifted them for only $19.99 (note that the red Marcs above that I'm wearing I bought on deep discounted sale for $111.00!) - I was walking with smugness, I tell ya!

Are you dressing up for Hallowe'en? I will be again this year - I'm excited!

Sweater (Max Studio), skirt (Planet, thrifted), shoes (Marc, thrifted), necklace (locally made), earrings/rings as above.

So remember this dress that I tried on? My amazing Aunt Kathy insisted that my mom pass her mother Joyce's dress along to me. So my goal is to drop about 5 pounds so that my boobs fit in it - I need to wear this dress!
I got to take a really good look at it. Check this out:
That's not an applique - that is hand beading! And it's all totally hidden - gorgeously done.

In fact, this dress is actually hand-made:
That's the inside seams. It's fully lined, but you can see that the fabric was cut rather raggedly with pinking shears. That's classic 60s/70s lace binding - my mom used to have stuff like that in her sewing area when I was a kid.

If that dress weren't the most awesome thing ever, look at what else Kathy gave me.
Tail-tentacle
YES. That is a vintage nylon chiffon peignoir set (Wiki link for info)! This is a total of four layers of nylon chiffon fabric.

This is the sleeved peignoir with the extra-long hem and lace trim.
Dear god, I think these need to come back into fashion! 

This is the matching nightgown portion: 
Isn't it amazing?

The vintage label:
I found a few on eBay that were listed from $19.99 to $49.99. I think mine is a pretty nice set.

Kathy also passed along this
It's a slightly different shade of pale blue, and has coloured lace up the front, with longer sleeves. Vizzini was all over me in this - he wanted the ribbon ties very badly, naughty boy.

Another Canadian lingerie company:
From my research Patricia seems to be a 1970s company, sold through Simpsons department store.

I couldn't help it: I've been wearing this since I took these pictures and have been swanning about the house in this for a couple of hours! L actually really liked these - they have a fun vintage "Mad Men" feel to them (I should have a big bouffant hairdo, yes?).
I feel like the Lady of the Manor Home. Fetch madam a glass of wine, would you?

I don't know what the heck I'm going to do with these (wear them around the house??), but I love them.

As promised, cat pictures! After two sessions of banging on our bedroom door this morning (6 am and 8 am), L fed Vizzini and then he napped on his post for the morning.
"Hey, I'm napping here."
 As I went in for a tummy-rub, he got all cute on me.
"I'll allow it, just this once."
 I patted him goodbye and back to sleep he went.
"Enough of the papparazzi, I must nap."
And so must I! I have a big day ahead tomorrow: shopping with my eldest niece Zoe for her 14th birthday! 

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Good and Bad...and I Swear They Were Teal

October 28, 2013, 6:21 pm
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So I didn't go shopping with my niece yesterday - she stayed home sick (get better soon, sweetie!) - but we had other drama to deal with: Vizzini puking all over the house. Ugh, at least 6 times, and he wasn't able to keep any food or water down. Due to the fact that he eats everything, we're sure he ate something that either got stuck or is blocking things up. Anyway, we took him to the vet (very traumatic, as it was less than 2 years ago since we went through the whole thing with Inigo and lost him), and we were sent home with kitty-Pepto and instructions to watch him after he ate. 

He ate. He slept a lot. He got up. He puked. 

Dang. He slept under the bed all night (I slept on the floor near him, so worried), and L took him to our other vet this morning. He is still there, and had an X-ray (no blockage they could see, and he has no tummy pain), but he still hasn't eaten anything. We'll pick him up tonight and try to feed him and keep an eye on him. 

Please send good vibes to my fuzzy little monster. He is awful, but we do love him, and want him to be home and up to no good again soon! 

Let's do today's outfit and then I'll get to the good news (it's been a crazy week).
Okay, I swear that these tights were teal when I left home! But as soon as I hit natural light, they were all like, "Hey, guess what? We're green! Don't you look silly?"

Stupid tights.

Anyway, here I am in my nice burgundy sweater dress. I haven't worn it since the March 2012 capsule (recap here), last time in this outfit under a blouse.
Today, I wore my paramecium blouse under the dress. I last wore the blouse in the October 2013 capsule (recap here), last time in this outfit with the green sweater from the weekend.
My blue slip is hanging out, but I didn't have time to pull off the whole outfit and go for a shorter slip. Arg. And look at those tights - looking teal!

The stuff:
The shoes are nicely trimmed in teal (see? I had purpose!), and were last worn here in March with blues and oranges.

I tried out my cool vintage shoe clips on them - did you notice?
I liked how the shoe clips matched the shapes on the belt.

Dress (Eric Alexandre), blouse (Jones New York), belt (Brave Belts, thrifted), shoes (Pink Studio), cuff (Shi Studio), earrings (Oscar & Libby's), shoe clips (vintage, Rad Juli), Fulvia Ring (Wendy Brandes).

A couple of pictures of L and Vizzini on Saturday afternoon.
"What can I eat?"
 Vizzini is more interested in getting into mischief than having a cuddle.
"Look! A squirrel!"
I'll see you soon, buddy.

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So the good and somewhat startling but also exciting news...a couple of weeks ago I got an email titled, "Congratulations! You've been nominated!" Naturally, I get all kinds of weird spam from having my email in my profile here, but I cautiously checked it out to see if it was a hoax. And no, not a hoax. I was nominated in the Style category for the Unlimited Woman Awards (link)! My wonderful girlfriends did it all sneakily.

And to my utter surprise, last night I got an email that I am now a finalist! It is down to me and 2 other (I'm sure) very stylish women, and I will find out in late November when I attend the gala with all my girlfriends if I win! This week, I have to send in a head-shot (I'm having a coworker take it for me), and on Monday, I go for the photo-shoot!

Anyway, so cool be up for a Major Award! Wish me luck!
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Rampant Lion, Kitty Update

October 29, 2013, 5:29 pm
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A much better day today, both tights-wise and cat-wise. Vizzini seems to be his old self (although he lost a big of weight and is still a little tired): he's eating small amounts of food and is back to his old habits, like waking me up at 4am. I am relieved. Hugely relieved. Thank you for all your good vibes! 

And so, today:
Fresh red hair!
The top half of this outfit is basically a copy of this outfit from the November 2012 capsule, although I last wore the jacket here in April with purple shoes and tiger stripes (rar!).

The little sweater shell underneath is my Ellen Tracy, last worn here under my faux Hermes scarf with kitchsy 70s colour.
The skirt is just so amazing - I'd forgotten how awesome it was! I last wore it in the January capsule (recap here), with the last outfit being this one with my killer red boots.
It has crazy points and corners sewn into it, and the hem is up and down. The front has two low big diamond-shaped pockets that are a little too low for hands ("long monkey arm pockets" my coworker calls them). And it has a weeny little zipper in the front (it's super high-waisted) which makes it very hard to get over my hips. Regardless of all these quirks - or because of them! - it's a totally unique item that I love. I picked it up on consignment last fall for about $40. Not worth it as it's not even lined (I have a half-slip on), but the design is so cool that I forgive it!

The stuff:
The shoes were last worn in my "Beam me up" outfit here in August (shiny!). I thrifted them back in May for $24.00 (score!) and they are breaking in nicely. They were better with tights than barefoot, that's for sure.

The bling:
Every time I wear this Pringle of Scotland belt, I get an email from someone asking me to sell it to them. Dude, no, you can't have my belt! I'm not even close to being tired of this fab made in England, leather and pony-hair LION BUCKLE (rar!) belt.

First wear of my sputnik earrings. Bought them locally, and they were made locally. Go, me!

Jacket (Alison Wonderland, consignment), top (Ellen Tracy, swap from Caro), skirt (La Fleur de Mon Secret, consignment), shoes (Ramon Tenza, thrifted), belt (Pringle of Scotland, thrifted), earrings (local), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), floral ring (vintage 70s, Sarah Coventry, thrifted).
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Plaid, Blood Red and Head Shot

October 30, 2013, 10:25 pm
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Ah, it's late and I need my sleep. After work tonight, L and I met up with Cat and Ross and Nick and Karen to go see Neil Jordan's film "Byzantium" (Wiki link for info) at the university theatre. We generally get together and watch a scary movie every Hallowe'en, but with it being mid-week, this worked better. 

I enjoy working the bloody, spooky theme into my clothes - so blood red! 
It's so dark in the mornings now!

Boots first, because I didn't take a picture of them - I last wore these blood-red beauties here earlier this month, and that is a very similarly-constructed outfit to this one!
Lurker in the background: to poop or not to poop, that is the question
This wonderfully swoopy skirt is actually a dress! It didn't make it in to the 30 For 30 For 12 Wardrobe Challenge, except for one Wild Card Outfit and it's been packed away with my fall/winter things, so it's been well over a year since I've worn it.

Here we are, let's cast our net into the past:

  • November 2012 - the aforementioned Wild Card outfit. 
  • November 2011 (2nd outfit) - for Celia's afternoon tea pre-wedding shower.
  • October 2011 (3rd outfit) - for dinner out with L for my birthday

I tend to wear it with red because the pale blue/white/black plaid has a thin red line in it. I bought it at Dots, a local sort of clearance outlet for samples. I don't shop there anymore because nearly everything there is made in China, but they do have some really cool and interesting clothing lines that come in. It was $30.00 and is by the UK brand Naughty - my dress is called the Tartan Fling.
This is my first time wearing it with navy blue, specifically this navy cotton velvet blazer. I last wore it in the October 2012 capsule (recap here), last time in this outfit here. This is the 4th time I've worn it, and I paid $12.00 for it in the Beacon Thrift Store (while taking a mental health break from work one day in August 2012), I am down to $3.00 per wear. That is excellent cost-per-wear in my book!

The stuff:
I never get tired of my wonderful soft leather obi - it's locally-made, bought for me by L and it gets softer every time I wear it. The usual assortment of cuffs, creepy-crawlies and skulls accompany my zipper rose.

Jacket (Armor Jeans, thrifted), dress (Naughty), boots (Miz Mooz), obi (locally made), leather cuff (Rimanchik, local), metal cuff (thrifted), silver/red ring (Oscar & Libby's), snake/spider rings (homegrown vintage, 1985-6), skull earrings (local).

I am excited about this Unlimited Woman awards*/celebration thingy - and yes, I do have my outfit picked out for the photo-shoot on Monday already! Stay tuned - it's very me.
*linking 'cause I love being a finalist! Wee!

I had to send in a head shot to them, so I got one of the guys at work to take my picture. No selfie for this one!
Wah! That's red hair, man
Another co-worker held the big light reflector thingie (I know all the technical terms, ha ha), so I let them both nibble off the catered lunch today as thanks. Scott (photographer) and Trevor (helpful assistant), thank you so much! I don't think I've ever looked that good.

Off to bed, although circles under my eyes will be easily hidden by my Hallowe'en costume tomorrow!
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Take Back Hallowe'en!

October 31, 2013, 6:14 pm
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Happy Hallowe'en! I hope you are having a spooky (but safe) time and not eating too many chocolates! Wait, is there such a thing as too many chocolates? What was I thinking? I must be...

Mad! 
Mad, I tell you...quite mad!
Interesting fact: did you know that hatters were in fact driven mad by the mercury they used to felt hats back in the day? True! I know because I read it on the interwebs (Wiki link), hee hee.

I will be linking up to Judith at "Style Crone"'s next Hat Attack!* coming this weekend! It was hard to choose, but really, if I'm the Mad Hatter, how appropriate is that?
*linking 'cause I love

My costume that I wore to work today was a reprise of the one I wore here (2nd outfit and many close-ups of the make-up and parts) a few weeks ago. The only change is that I wore an orange camisole so that I wasn't quite as boobalicious.
Complete with "Eat me" and "Drink me" teacup and saucer
One thing I will say about wearing a costume to work: it requires dedication! I wore this for close to 9 hours, and by the end of the day (much like last year), I was all, "Get this off me!"
Wearing a costume for a party also involves alcohol (at least, for me it does) which makes all the little things less irritating. This was also abominably hot and sweaty-making in my office, with all the layers.

However! It is an awesome costume (if I do say so myself) and I had a lot of fun wearing it. I have been grooving on the Take Back Hallowe'en* movement, which is discussed here*on Epbot* (what? You don't know Epbot? Tell me you at least know Cake Wrecks*!).

Take Back Hallowe'en is all about creating costumes from our imagination, not from buying them at a store. As I am already on board with Shopping Second Hand First*, this is a natural fit for me. While I don't fall into one of their categories (I'm technically cross-dressing here as the female Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland"), I like getting inspiration from all kinds of areas, whether a movie like my "The Birds" costume from last year or a book like this year. It's so much more fun when you use your imagination!
*linking because I love!

And...that's a lot of links and I shall step down off my little soapbox now.

I have disassembled my costume back into the things that live in my closet (jacket, skirts, boots, grey corset top, obi, scarf), and my jewelry box (pins, earrings), and the things that are for parties (hat, fascinator, leather gloves, black corset, butterfly), and things that go into the tickle-trunk of awesome (ribbon and curtain pulls, tassel, lace cuffs), and stowed away all my pins, needle-threaders and seam ripper.
So much more fun when combined!

For more close-ups of my costume, please visit my previous entry on it (here, again). And please do check out Ally's party over at "Shybiker"* to see all the other awesome and imaginative costumes out there in the blogosphere!
*of course, I love Ally - she's the best!

Tomorrow, I plan to break my company's dress code - because I am all about being sneaky that way! How does one break a dress code on a Casual Friday? Stay tuned...
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A Good Sport - Casual Friday Dress Code Violation

November 1, 2013, 6:21 pm
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My work doesn't have an explicit dress code that I'm aware of. It's business casual, and in BC we have Casual Friday, but it's not like that's the rule or anything. However, something that is not generally appropriate for work in that environment is a sports jersey. 

Boo yah!
Dear giant football organization that shall not be named (not linking because you're a massive conglomerate, but I do love your sport):

Thank you for recognizing that some women like sports. That they might want to wear a jersey of their team that isn't pink. That they actually might want to wear this in public and still be stylish. I saw your advertising in one of those fashion magazines - 4 pages! - and thought, "Wow, I could do something like that!" Very clever of you. 

Sincerely, 
Sheila

I really enjoyed wearing my team's jersey today. I had a lot of reaction from people asking me about my team or chatting football with me. HR saw it and was like, "Whatever."
This is how I wore it for most of the day - I took the blazer off to show a few of my coworkers. I went very simple but graphic black and white to help ground the jersey.

This is my black light wool blazer, last seen here (way down, past the 70s party pics) in mid-October.
This is my lovely houndstooth pencil skirt, last seen here with giant green ruffles in September.
Who has two thumbs and loves football?
Barely made my bus, but caught an outerwear pic:
It's getting colder in the mornings!

The stuff:
I found one of the straps of these awesome shoes chewed when I unpacked them in September. Little bugger, Vizzini...

I was happily reminded of how much I love these shoes. They are miracles of engineering. They have absolutely no cushioning other than that narrow little piece you can see in the picture above. They do not bend and are clompy when I walk. And yet, they are amazingly comfortable and after a full day of wearing them (including walking home a few extra blocks), my feet aren't sore.

I last wore them in the November 2012 all-neutral capsule (recap here) where I wore them a whopping 5 times. They're vintage 80s and I snagged them on consignment in October 2012 for $18.00 (about them here)

The stuff:
The earrings remind me of drawn-up football plays.

Jacket (Banana Republic, thrifted), jersey (NFL), skirt (Nygard, consignment), shoes (vintage 80s, Bata, consignment), cuff (Guess, thrifted), earrings (gift from Lise), lapis lazuli ring/Fulvia Ring (Wendy Brandes).
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A Day with Auntie, Drinkless Gathering, and a Long Session

November 3, 2013, 6:24 pm
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Weekends go so freakin' fast! How can it possibly be Sunday already?

The delayed Shopping Day with Auntie Sheila happened with my niece Zoe on Saturday. She is a lovely 14-year-old, bursting with excitement, ideas and personality. I love teenagers! 

I dressed for shopping:
Tights, easy-on/off boots, simple skirt and a thin sweater with cami. I could have tried things on out in the street and not had any trouble (I've done that!).

This is my blue sweater, which was last seen here in May with graphic black and white. I have a grey cami on under it.
The snakeskin printed leather skirt was last featured here in an all-leather outfit in September.
Add my black riding boots were last worn here in October to a hockey game.

Mostly, I had my full outerwear on in various stages (with/without scarf or gloves). It rained a bit yesterday - rather blustery, but cleared up for our ramble through thrift and boutique shops.
Zoe got the full treatment from me: all my thrifting secrets, what to look for, how to figure out vintage and European sizing. We found her some awesome items, including a vintage Ralph Lauren Polo sweater (for $4.00) and a vintage 70s suede jacket for only $27.99. She even humoured me and tried on a few vintage dresses (she's got that little size 0-2 frame...*sigh*).

Sweater (Smart Set, thrifted), skirt (INC, consignment), boots (Aldo, consignment), silver feather earrings (local).

I even found a couple of cool things for myself! Duh, of course I did...

Yes, this is a black suede shirt:
It was $24.99 - but it's machine wash/tumble dry! Woo! It's a more Western-cut than my other leather shirt, with snaps up the front and two patch pockets. The hem and cuffs are slashed open. Very cool, and I thought a good score. It's by True Character.

I have been looking for a warm winter coat. This isn't quite it, but it fit so well and was so cute, I had to have it.
It's Betsey Johnson New York and is actually made in the US. No idea how old it is, but it's not recent. It was $44.99, and I'm sure I was paying for the name. If it had been a no-name, it would have been less than $30. Oh well, I love it anyway, so it's all good. It's 100% wool.

I also found this fabulous sleeveless blouse:
I like that the design looks like scales.

A close-up of the neckline:
I love that there's a heavy brass chain under a layer of mesh. And only $14.99 for Rachel Roy? Yeah, I'm happy with that.

As well as our good thrifting finds, we went to some of my favourite boutiques along lower Johnson Street (known locally as Lo-Jo, of course), including my favourite jewelry and accessory store, Adore*.
*linking 'cause I love

Once I saw this purse, I knew I wouldn't be able to leave without it.
It's called the Leashed Clutch and is by Fiveleft *of Vancouver. It was $120.00 but every bag they make is done by hand in their studio. The leather is vegetable tanned and sourced from a family-run tannery in England. Every bag is one of a kind. I chose the clockwork gears in this lovely honey and dark brown mix, with black accents.
*linking 'cause I love
It will soften with age, and is meant to last a lifetime. I love the sturdy hardware and the absolutely perfect shape and size.
It's numbered and signed by Lincoln Heller, the maker.

After an exhausting 6+ hours of shopping, L drove Zoe home and I got ready for Winesday. I wanted to be uber-comfy, but still casual.
The winey-rusty sweater was last seen here in April with zebra. I accented it with a turquoise cami and earrings.
The skirt is my fabulous wool maxi that was last seen in the November 2012 all-neutral capsule (recap here). I last wore it in this outfit with olive and mustard, for Megan and Kiki's Fall Fashion Challenge.

Yes, I built my outfit so that I could wear my new coat with it!
That's actually me at 1am (2am if you don't count Daylight Savings), since I had to run out the door to make my bus.

The boots are my brown Miz Mooz, last seen here (way way down at the bottom) a couple of weeks ago.

The stuff:
I got quite a chuckle when Zoe and I went into a boutique that sells Brave Belts. They start at over $160.00 - I thrifted this one last November for $6.50. Score!

Sweater (Bandolino, thrifted), skirt (Animale, consignment), boots (Miz Mooz), jacket (Betsey Johnson), belt (Brave Belts, thrifted), cuff (SkinZnHydez), earrings (Oscar & Libby's).

Although I had a late night, due to time change I was able to sleep in - I also didn't drink at Winesday because today I had a tattoo appointment! This is this year's birthday present to myself - I went to a new artist (hi, Ghengis Shawn!) at WolfSheep*.
*linking 'cause I love

It's generally not a good idea to drink the night before you get a tattoo, as it causes you to bleed more, and for your skin to get puffy. I just don't like having to deal with that - a tattoo is painful enough!

I wore my comfiest clothes for lying on my face for 3 hours.
My Smoking Lily Hama Hama moose shirt (lovely soft bamboo), last worn here in March (it's a wear-around-the-house/sleep-in-it shirt now). The ultra soft and comfy black slouchy skirt, last seen in the January 2013 capsule (recap here), and lastly in this spacey outfit.

I walked to town, bought groceries (for delivery), then went to my 12:30pm appointment. We didn't finish until 4:00 so I am pretty tired and achy. I wore my loose cotton Smoking Lily Octo-Coat, this lovely big silk scarf, and my purple leather gloves.
Same Aldo boots as Saturday.

I'm linking up to Patti's "Visible Monday" at Not Dead Yet Style - get your arse over there!

Top (Smoking Lily), skirt (Isda & Co.), boots (consignment), scarf (gift from Megan Mae), coat (Smoking Lily), gloves (Danier Leather). 

I can't take a picture of the tattoo yet, as it's still under the bandage for now - tomorrow, I promise! - but it's a dandelion plant, so let your imagination run wild. It fills in the blank space on my back below my other tattoos.
I thought I would show my crazy bra adaptation! I took an extender piece from one of my La Senza bras to lower my regular bra strap. I will have to wear my bras like this for a few days, until the tattoo is to the point where it's starting to heal.

This is going to be a challenge: I have my photo-shoot tomorrow during the day for the Unlimited Woman awards! Yikes!
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Photo-Shoot in Plaid, and the New Tattoo

November 4, 2013, 8:01 pm
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Another week - but I don't think I've ever had one that started with such a bang! Today was the drop-in for the photo-shoot for the Unlimited Woman awards* so I had to make sure I wore something suitably outrageous. 
*linking 'cause I love
Positively plaid!

I had to factor in washing my tattoo a couple of times today. Which is on my back. Which is hard to reach by oneself in a work bathroom. I also wanted something very light touching my back, so nothing rough.

The skirt is my fabulous 80s taffeta number, last worn here in August with red and purple.
It's so swooshy!

The silky red top underneath is such a vibrant colour - it was really a great find at the WIN Boutique. I last wore it here (2nd outfit) a couple of weeks ago under my leather shirt for Chris' surprise birthday.
I adore this jacket - seriously, it's just awesome and was perfect for dashing around my office. It was featured in my Art Gallery ensemble (here, second outfit) a couple of weeks ago.

The stuff:
Big red shoes! I actually walked 5 blocks each way to/from the photo-shoot in these - so freakin' comfy! I last wore them here in that same birthday outfit as the red top above. Not very creative of me, but at least I changed up the rest of the outfit, right?

Bigass bling.
I need some mondo big earrings to go with this necklace. Those bitty ones just don't cut it!

Jacket (Danier Couture, consignment), blouse (Spense, thrifted), skirt (Roland Kerry, vintage 80s, consignment), belt (consignment), shoes (Marc), necklace (vintage fair), ring (local, Oscar & Libby's).

So, the photo-shoot was awesome, although I couldn't stick around for long. I met Carolyne Taylor, the woman who's organizing this event, and some other lovely ladies whose names have already slipped my mind (gah, brain like sieve!). I ran out of my blog cards - must stock up my cardholder!

But I know you are all waiting to see what my new ink is. Here ya go:
It's a big dandelion plant! I really like dandelions: they are hardy, strong, tenacious and persistent. Things I would like to think I could be one day when I grow up. I also have a huge soft spot for Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine" and this reminded me of it.

When L took this picture, he said, "Your mom is going to flip her can." Heh, sorry, Mom. Here's what my full back looks like now.
I am much happier with how it's all balanced out - I felt that the ivy on the right was too dense compared with the ribbons on the left. This helps fill it in a bit, and I love that there's more colour! I have a second session booked in a month or so, to do a bit of fill-in in the ribbons to help balance it some more.

Anyway, it's a little achy now, and I worked an extra 2.5 hours tonight on the newsletter, so I'm going to go lie down on the couch. Have a great night!
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Plaid and Leather Down on the Farm

November 5, 2013, 5:37 pm
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Ack, running late today as the computer decided this would be the best night to act up. Yes, thank you.

My tattoo is starting to heal up nicely. Still, I'm in "lock and load" mode to keep everything on the upper half gentle.
I love that it's lighter in the mornings now, but I know it won't last long. Gah, winter months suck for pictures.

The jacket is a lovely plaid one that I've had for a few years - it was last worn in the October 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore it twice (last time here, with these same booties!).
I've worn it layered under this leather vest before (here) - I like how it looks. Have you ever layered a jacket under something else? I last wore this leather vest layered over a blue satin blouse here in June (I got rid of the blouse - good colour, too shiny).

The skirt is a thin silk and it has barnyard scenes. I last wore it here in July with much frilliness (and I need to wear the Happy Wanderer skirt soon!).
I like how the jacket is lower in the back. Groovy, man.

The stuff:
My Coffee Kope Tiam booties by Fluevog, last worn here (a few outfits down) in August with my cowgirl dress. They are so comfy - I ran an errand in them today and they were awesome.

Bling:
Light-as-a-feather earrings.

Jacket (Armor Jeans, thrifted), cami (Mexx, thrifted), vest (CAbi, thrifted), skirt (Gap, thrifted), boots (Coffee Kope Tiam, Fluevog), belt (Plum), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), floral ring (vintage, Sarah Coventry), earrings (Adore Jewelry, local).
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Catch-Up: Blue and Birds, Vizinni, Lounging and Aqua Fringe

November 7, 2013, 8:07 pm
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Whew! It's been a whirlwind of stuff the last couple of days. Miss me? I've been working late, going out and generally living a very busy life.

Here's Thursday's outfit:
I had intended to wear a cardigan and sweater with the Happy Wanderer skirt, but I'd forgotten that the skirt is way too big on my waist (it has gone to the giveaway pile), so I had to scramble to put an outfit together at the last minute in the morning. I already had the jewelry and boots assembled, so I had to work with them. Plus I had the socks on and I wasn't going to go hunting for tights when time was a-tickin'.

This is my chunky indigo blue sweater, last seen here (3rd outfit, after the Mad Hatter) in October.
The skirt was adored by me when I wore it in the October 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore it three times (last time here). I thrifted it for only $7.50 and I totally scored there. The quality is superb.
The boots are my similarly adored Babycakes Minis boots, last seen here (3rd outfit, after the golden disco girl!) in early October.

The stuff:
Put a bird on it! It makes everything better.

A less-dark picture:
Yesterday after work, Elaine and I went out for dinner, then went to see "Out of Africa" - we're reading the book for Book Club and neither of us had seen it. It was good, but very long. I got home quite late. *yawn*

Sweater (Dex, thrifted), skirt (Julius, with a W&J Wilson label, thrifted), boots (Babycakes Minis, Fluevog), belt/earrings (Plum), necklace (gift from Mom), key ring (Oscar & Libby's), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl).

One of my coworkers told me I was on the Unlimited Woman's Facebook page, so I grabbed the picture.
L calls this “Delightfully overwrought and romantic.”
See? I really do lounge around on the floor.

A few of you have asked about Vizzini - he's been around. He's full of beans.
"Go away...unless you're going to feed me."
He's been acting very silly lately.
"What, can't a cat sit in peace?" 
I love the look on his face. He was biting the couch. I think he is trying to eat it. Yes, the whole couch.

Today, I had to work late to finish the newsletter. My boss is back from vacation on Tuesday (Monday is a holiday here, Remembrance Day), so I had to finish it before then, and I'm definitely not up for working late on a Friday night before a long weekend!
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! I love this skirt. It makes a loud noise when I walk.

I last wore this fabulous fringed suede skirt in the January 2013 capsule (recap here), last time here with my embroidered black velvet blazer. I paid only $10 for it a few years ago. Score!
I wore my new-to-me thrifted black suede shirt today - oh, it was marvellously soft and pliable to wear. Love love love it. I purchased it here for $24.99.
The boots are my grey wooly Fluevogs, last worn here (2nd outfit) to the Vintage Fair.

The stuff:
My lovely Shi Studio belt. I like the nubby texture of the leather.

Leather shirt (True Character, thrifted), suede skirt (vintage 70s, thrifted, Pioneer Wear), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevogs), "S" charm (gift from Mom & Dad), earrings (Oscar & Libby's), Fulvia Ring (Wendy Brandes).
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Gypsy Blues and Purple Velvet People-Eater

November 8, 2013, 6:30 pm
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Woo! Friday! To reward myself for getting through the week, I had a slice of pizza and a glass of wine on the way home. That's decadence!

I kind of didn't go casual today:
I felt like a gypsy (in the best way possible) in this. All rich embroidery and swooshy light skirt and lush purples. I think the belt lends an important neutral element and grounds this, along with the tan in the sandals, and a titch of neutral (just a smidge) in the embroidery. And I wore a shark.

This is my most-cherished black velvet embroidered jacket, last worn here (3rd outfit) in October.

A nearly exact matching set of camisole, tights and shoes made my purple-loving heart feel good.

The wonderful blue skirt hasn't been worn on its own for a long time! It wasn't in any of the capsules a year+ ago, although I wore it a couple of time during the capsule as a layering piece. It accidentally got tucked into the costume box, and I'd forgotten about it! It's by Noa Noa - that's a brand I really miss buying from Dots, but all their stuff, no matter how nice it is, is manufactured in China. Can't do it. Women of Victoria! Donate your Noa Noa to the thrift shops, please, so I can buy it with a clear conscience.
It's lined in blue cotton (I have a half-slip on to prevent Tight Creep), and the outer layer is a fuller skirt of stripes of sheer blue netting and cotton. It has amazing motion.

Here's how I've worn it since I got it in June 2011. It was a sample piece, with a retail price of $125.00, Dots price of $49.99, then further marked down to $18.00. The colour is called "Honor."

June 2011: one of my favourite looks: cowgirl! There is a picture of the original price tag there.
August 2011, 2nd outfit: worn as a skirt and t-shirt for a casual dinner out;
April 2012: as my first outfit of the 3 day Victoria Steam Expo, as one of many layers; and
September 2012, 3rd outfit: layered under my Spanish ladies dress for Winesday.

Here's something I don't think I've ever worn on the blog:
It's a 1940s purple velvet coat. I've had it for over 20 years - I used to wear it all the time in the 90s - and wouldn't have paid over $25 for it. It has no labels, and the lining is close to falling apart (the pockets have been replaced), but it's heavy and gorgeous.

I see this oversized style of coat is in style again - isn't that funny? Everything comes back.
I felt regal in all this purple.

The stuff:
Fab Fluevogs! I last wore them here (2nd outfit, once again there's the Spanish ladies dress!) back in July with my black shirtdress.

Local bling:
The belt is vintage 70s, but all the rest is locally-made.

Jacket (Le Chateau, consignment), cami (InWear), skirt (Noa Noa), shoes (Bellevue Pearl Hart, Fluevog), belt (vintage 70s, thrifted), shark ring/earrings (local), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl).

Vizzini was bugging me to feed him while I was taking pictures of the stuff when I got home.
"Don't make me eat your shoes. Feed me!"
He's all happy now he's had his food.

Have a wonderful weekend! To my fellow Canucks, peace and thanks on this Remembrance Day to those who fought and died for us.
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All's Fair, Plus Emmylou

November 10, 2013, 1:12 pm
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Hello, my lovelies! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Long weekends are the best, aren't they? 

L and started our Saturday with brunch at our favourite diner with our friends Chris and Alison. I felt like being sex-ay in my leather.
This is nearly a copy of this outfit from last January's capsule, although I am happy to report that I passed along that turtleneck sweater (turtlenecks, pah!) to a better home.

Black leather dresses are appropriate for brunch, yes? I last wore this bare-legged here in July with my shiny shiny brocade coat (time to wear that again!).
I am still babying my new tattoo by wearing natural fibres, like this cotton long-sleeved tee, as much as possible. This is one of my Wear Around the House tops, so you can tell I am being ultra-lazy about outfits on the weekend, ha! I last wore it as a travel piece when we went to Powell River for Lawrence's funeral here in June.
Add a pair of funky wooly tights and red harness boots and Bob's yer uncle. I last wore these fabulous boots here last month when I was sick.

Top (Calvin Klein, thrifted), dress (Danier Leather, thrifted), tights (Hue), boots (Adrian Agnes, Fluevog), feather earrings (local), spider/snake rings (homegrown vintage 80s).

After brunch, we had to run some errands. I spotted a sign for the Vintage Fair, and although I am not the spontaneous type (L balances me well in that respect), I said, "Let's go!" and so we did.

First, we saw that there was a Record Fair within a block of the Vintage Fair. L is very much a music guy (have you checked out his blog? You should!) so we browsed through some vinyl for a while. He got a couple of older Emmylou Harris albums to add to his collection.

Then we strolled over to the Vintage Fair and had a quick peek around (L is not up for marathon shops like my gals Elaine and Cat, so it was short and sweet). We spotted this for L:
When we party, L always drinks from his Goblet of Rock (a vintage brass stemmed goblet); now, we have the Stein of Rock! Look at that lovely silver lady embellishing the Japanese pagoda design (there are also dragons on it). The blue glass insert is removable for washing. It was only $20.

I gasped when I saw this piece:
Oh yes, vintage 60s Renoir copper! This sits just perfectly on my neck - I can't wait to wear it.

It's stamped "Renoir":
It was only $35.00 - such a score!

After a brief nap (all that Fair-ing was exhausting!), we got ready to head down to the Alix Goolden Hall for a concert: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, with Richard Thompson opening.
The hall is an old converted church, which means you sit in pews and it's general seating. We lined up for nearly an hour ahead of time to get good seats. I had to wear lots of layers to regulate my temperature: cold outside, hot inside.

This is my purple suede vest that is the sibling of Curtisse's jerkin (check it out). It was last worn here by L (picture, beware of sexy hair chest!), and last worn by me in the January capsule (recap here).
 My denim maxi skirt was last worn here in August (2nd outfit).
Same top underneath, plus my black classic boot for walkin' (last seen here for the Day with Auntie last weekend).

Top (Calvin Klein, thrifted), suede jerkin (vintage 70s, consignment), skirt (InWear, consignment), boots (Aldo, consignment), earrings (gift from Lise).

I actually remembered to bring my camera to the concert. Here's a bunch of guitars:
The one right in the front is Emmylou's!

Inside the hall.
The stage is the former alter area, and there are rows of pews on the main floor, with a balcony that encircles the entire space, with about 4 rows on the sides. This was a sold-out show, so the full venue was packed. It holds maybe 800 people.

There are 4 circular staircases to get to the balcony.
They've tried to keep the space as original as possible.

From our seats, looking across at one of the rose windows and the central arch.
The acoustics in the space are incredible.

Check out the old organ pipes. In the far right corner is another circular staircase.
We had an amazing view. We are maybe 40 feet from the stage.

The rear rose window:
There are an additional 3-4 rows of seats behind the lower balcony where we sat.

Richard Thompson* opened up. I didn't really know him as an artist before we got the tickets (which we bought back in August).
*linking 'cause I love
He was very good - it was just him and his guitar. What an incredibly skilled player!

After a break, Emmylou Harris* and Rodney Crowell and the backing band came on.
*linking 'cause I love
Emmylou has been writing and recording since the 60s - she has an amazing voice which holds so much heartache and emotion.

I highly recommend these videos if you are not familiar with her (these are all YouTube, and I'm just linking so you can check 'em out):


She is such a talented woman: visible with her white hair, and so young despite being 66 years old. Can I please be her when I grow up?
Richard Thompson came back onstage for a couple of songs with just him and Emmylou on guitar.

Look at how gorgeous it is with the organ pipes lit up!
It was a hugely emotional evening, just experiencing the music in such a wonderful venue. One of my top 5 concerts, definitely. If you get the chance to go see her, please do! You won't regret it.

After a late night, L and I came home to a hungry kitty.
"I don't care about your goings-on. Feed me!"
Stamps from the Record Fair, Vintage Fair and the concert.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Travelling Yellow Skirt photo-shoot! Yes! Finally!
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The Traveling Yellow Skirt Freakshow - Steampunk at the Castle

November 11, 2013, 5:39 pm
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FINALLY! The Traveling Yellow Skirt Freakshow has not only landed in Victoria, BC, Canada, but it has continued its magical job of making every woman look like a work of art! 

Please check out the Master Post and List here, at Bag and a Beret, and a huge yellow thank you and hug to my lovely chick Melanie for creating this wonderful blog-bonding opportunity. 

Kudos, thanks and much gratitude also to Shelley of Forest City Fashionista for handling the administrative work of wrangling bloggers and reminding certain slow people *cough*me*cough* to get a move on and wear the danged thing. I can hear Shelley's sigh of relief from here, ha ha. Sue, this is coming to you via post this week.

And let us move on to the fun stuff: pictures! I took a lot, and even roped L into helping out on an expedition for a fun shooting location.
I felt that steampunk would be a natural fit for me for styling this massive skirt. In addition to my 3-outfit marathon at the 2012 Victoria Steamcon, I've also done steampunk for Hallowe'en as a steampunk vampire killer, a "soft steampunk" look for New Year's Eve 2013, and I even did a bit of a steampunk Mad Hatter this year for Hallowe'en.

Starting from the top, that's my vintage 80s Le Chateau top hat with a silk scarf tied around it (vintage and thrifted), plus a little brown hat fascinator pinned to the side of it for the feathers (yes, I'm wearing a hat...on a hat!).
I am wearing a long red wig (I have a big costume/dress up collection), that's been rolled and pinned up twice to give it less of the Hollywood starlet look and more of the Victoria steampunk-era look. The earrings are clock hands by Foxy and were purchased at She She Shoes several years ago.
The leather/crystal black leather choker is by local company Bauxo, and the white blouse is one I'll be wearing later on this week in an outfit for work - it's by Uno Due and was last seen here in June. It was thrifted for $7.50 and this is its fourth wear, bringing my cost-per-wear down to less than $2.00.

The leather bustier is by Northbound Leather (made in Canada) and was purchased for $36.00 on consignment. I last wore it for the above-linked New Year's Eve outfit - it's not an everyday type of garment!
There is a mink brooch pinned to my chestal region, along with a little gold crystal cross brooch that I got from L's late Grandma W. I rediscovered this fabulous mid-90s wood, silver and cording belt in the costume box and was like, "Boo yah!" I also have my two new-to-me silver shoe clips attached at the corners of the bustier.
My leather and brass bracer (on my lower arm) is by local dude Ian of SkinZnHydez (linking 'cause he's awesome), as is the smaller leather cogs and wheels cuff on the other arm. The larger cuff is by Catalyst Leather.

The lace piece hanging at the back was brought back from Spain as a gift from Mom and Dad many, many years ago (20?). I'm wearing just one black leather driving glove (from Heart's Content in Fan Tan Alley), a key ring from Oscar & Libby's and my Twang & Pearl Spinner ring.
The cape is part of the Traveling Yellow Skirt Freakshow package, added by Tamera of The Menopausal Supermodel. It's the perfect match! I didn't wear it on the photo-shoot, since it was a sunny, crisp afternoon (and it messed with my wig).

The yellow skirt itself is by Joe Fresh. I've added my usual curtain hooks (thrifted) and ribbon (bought new locally) to hoist up the front part of the skirt. This created nice loose pockets in the front, where I stashed my glasses while L and I went for a wander up to Craigdarroch Castle. The shoes are my very first pair of Fluevogs, the Listen Up Harlows, last seen in the June 2012 capsule (recap here), in this whackadoo outfit.

I took along a leather-covered brass telescope for a prop.
The walk up to the Castle is in a residential neighbourhood. There's a little natural plant garden at the bottom of the hill. As tour buses are not allowed up here, there are at least 2 rest stations/benches along the way for the tourists. It's a steep hill.
My floofy Noa Noa underskirt gets another airing, and those lacy tights have been in my drawer for at least 2-3 years.
The skirt was marvelously billowy.
At rest stop number two. Look, it's a castle!
It's my "Titanic" pose.
I couldn't seen anything with the telescope without my glasses on.
"I love post."
Some bemused tourists gave us very wide berths.
Looking out over the rear field.
 Care to join me for a sit?
The wind picked up the skirt and pouffed it quite nicely.
It was wonderful to wear the yellow skirt, knowing that so many other awesome women had worn it as well. We are the sisterhood!
I loved this experience. Thank you, Melanie, for creating this.

Thank you also to my patient husband and trusty photographer, L. Once we got into it, he was totally game for me swanning around on the Castle's grounds.
He's rather dapper himself. Also, he took some amazing pictures!

I added my pieces:
Two plastic keys and a metal stamped gear (I think they were gifts from Tamera and Megan Mae) have been sewn on as my addition to the skirt, and I drew a little face for Vizzini.

I hope you enjoyed my little excursion!
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Sheer and Strapless for Work

November 12, 2013, 5:16 pm
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Tuesdays after a long weekend are just evil. It's like Monday, only 10 times worse. 

But enough of that, let's get down to the outfit.
I love wearing this strapless dress over blouses to make it work-appropriate. I haven't ever worn it with this sheer blouse before, so something new! I also wanted to show off my new-to-me copper necklace.

The blouse is a blue sheer one, last worn on my birthday week in October (here, 2nd outfit). I complained then about not wearing it enough, and then here I go wearing it a month later!
The strapless dress is a dark charcoal grey wool pinstripe (and it has a bubble hem, and pockets!). It's the Dress of Many Adjectives! I last wore it in the December 2012 capsule (recap here) in this outfit.
Showing my ink - I kind of forgot about the back...
You might recall that this was one of the Fall 2013 inspirations that I intended to play with - "Don't Dress Safe".
Yeah, I've been doing that for years - stop copying me! Ha!

The stuff:
Classic Ralph Lauren pumps tone nicely with all the copper. I last wore them here in September with my leather pants (I need to wear those again soon).

All vintage copper bling:
The bracelet was my grandmother's; I've found all the rest at vintage fairs.

Blouse (Express, consignment), dress (Club Monaco, consignment), shoes (Ralph Lauren), belt (Club Monaco), necklace/cuff/earrings (Renoir, vintage 50s/60s, cuff by Grandma J).
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Rainy Florals

November 13, 2013, 5:59 pm
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I finally got around to doing laundry last weekend, so I can finally wear this new-to-me floral skirt that I thrifted at Value Village when I went shopping with Leslie (here).
I paid $7.99 for it - I love the pattern. It's like flowers in the rain. Maybe wearing this skirt kept the rain at bay today?

I was going to do an orange shirt and a red cardigan with this, but it just didn't look right, so I swapped for this jacket (last seen here earlier this month with my football jersey).
I also changed to this orange cowl-necked blouse, which I adore. In fact, I see no reason to keep two orange blouses when I clearly love one and am "meh" about the other, so the "meh" one is in the donation pile. This orange blouse was last seen here in September when I did Monochromania! week.
I am wearing black fishnet tights.

The stuff:
I'm kicking myself now for not buying a pair of Jones New York black kitten heels at VV on that shopping trip to replace these ones, which are getting beat up a bit. One should really not turn down good quality black kitten heels! They're a staple! I last wore these here in September with turquoise and magenta.

Big floral bling.
Not a real flower.

Jacket (Banana Republic, thrifted), blouse (Michael Kors, consignment), skirt (Attitude, thrifted), shoes (Enzo Angiolini, thrifted), belt (Plum), cuff (Guess, thrifted), red cuff (Rimanchik), earrings (The Cobbler), flower (Roberta's Hats).
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