Can you tell the weather is better? There were blue skies, and even sunshine today!

This is my wonderful Etro jacket (a real haute couture brand, very chi-chi, dontcha know), last seen here in September 2013. My coworker Debbie has claimed it when I'm tired with it. There are very few things that really have staying power in my wardrobe, and eventually, I will pass this blazer along to her. It's not a perfect cut on me: one button + my boobular region = not a great fit in the chestal area. It's meant for someone not as curvy as me.
The sweater under it is by Hawick of Scotland, and it's a wool/cashmere blend. I'm shocked to see that I haven't worn it since April 2013 (here). I think I have actually worn it under things and not listed it since it wasn't visible.

The skirt is the bottom half of my fabulous early 60s vintage suit, first worn here in early December 2013. I loved wearing the skirt on its own, so much that I'm actually going to put my burgundy suede Danier skirt into the giveaway pile! Its zipper snagged my tights/nylons anyway.
My fabulous burgundy Miz Mooz boots were last worn here in November 2013 when I was being a burgundy and purple pirate (yar).

The stuff:
I'm on a roll with the vintage jewelry. We have a mix of homegrown (the coin necklace, gift from Mom and Dad circa 1983), and filched from Mom's jewelry box in the 80s (the bracelet and the coin earrings, which I converted to shepherd's hooks from clip-ons back then). Mom's stuff is from the 60s.

Blazer (Etro, consignment), sweater (Hawick of Scotland, consignment), skirt (Hettermark, W&J Wilson, thrifted), boots (Miz Mooz), necklace (homegrown vintage, gift from Mom and Dad), cuff/earrings (Mom's, vintage 60s), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), ring (POLY, thrifted).

So, outfit planning. Last night before bed I pulled the sweater to layer under the blazer. My other options were my white ruffled blouse and my cream satin ruffled blouse, but I'm tired (too many late nights working) and the sweater is less fussy than either blouse. Sweater it is!
As you can see, my micro-fishnet nylons aren't done up neatly or anything. I do wash them, but I wear them until they are no longer usable. These ones have been snagged up in the back (not sure what from, some skirt or coat, mostly likely), but still have lots of wear in them.

And there's my necklace/earrings laid out ready for me in the morning.
Actually, I missed picking out a bracelet and rings, so I grabbed those once I was dressed. My whole routine of outfit planning is geared towards minimizing fuss in the morning (I'm also usually running late!).

My outside pictures are all coming out with a blue cast, so the above colour is a little washed out after I monkeyed with it.

But the outfit! I am quite happy with it - it's very much like this one from the December 2012 capsule. Have you noticed that I tend to save my favourite outfit combinations till the end of the week? I

This gorgeous jacket is another one that gets coveted by my fashionable female coworkers. I always get gasps of surprise when I tell them it's Ricki's*, a Canadian mall chain. They sell inexpensive basics, for the most part, so this jacket is quite an anomaly. It's very nice construction (fully-lined), and beautifully cut. It also has nice stretch to it, and good details, like fabric-covered buttons, velvet trim and split cuffs. Seriously. Ricki's.
*linking for info only

I last wore it here over my grey suede dress (love that outfit) in November, the day of the Unlimited Woman Awards. I paid $26.98 for it on consignment, and this is my 6th wear of it. Just over $5 a wear - not bad!
The little grey sweater under it was thrifted for $6.00 and I've worn it several times - I must be under a dollar per wear now! I last wore it here (2nd outfit) with my ginormous black suede skirt in early December 2013.

Holy smokes, do I love this vintage purple leather skirt? Yes, I do! It was awesome to wear again (last time here for a casual brunch in late December 2013).
I love these grey wool boots - I last wore them here (2nd outfit) with my turquoise fringed suede skirt. I'll be walking over to Cat's in them soon!

The stuff:
Simple accessories to let the jacket and skirt and boots shine.

Jacket (Ricki's, consignment), sweater (August Silk, thrifted), skirt (Chia, vintage 80s, thrifted), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevog), earrings (local), lapis lazuli ring (Wendy Brandes), ring (bought in Scotland).

So! Outfit planning! The biggest struggle I had with putting this outfit together was actually the tights. I really missed my blue lacy tights that blew last month (after a couple of years of wear, mind you), and held about 4 pairs (grey, purple, black solid, black texture) up to the jacket and skirt before I settled on these grapey ones. They ended up toning perfectly with the outfit, although the grey ones would have been fine - no black in the outfit, so that was quickly eliminated.
With the jacket's pattern being quite fussy, I wanted bigass accessories. I like the bits of blue in the jacket (you can see a bit of it n the above picture - that's a good detail of the texture), so I wore both of my favourite blue rings.

After a crazy busy day, I'm so looking forward to hanging with my Book Club Babes! We're discussing "The Housekeeper + The Professor" by Yoko Ogawa - I quite liked it!

I swapped out the jacket for this drapey black cardi:

"Dammit, woman, feed me!"

I last wore it here in October with thigh-high boots on a Casual Friday.

Cardigan (Kensie).

However, my late night and tipsiness meant that I went straight to bed and did not plan my accessories. But because of my forethought and planning on Sunday, at least I didn't have to plan an entire outfit. All I had to do was pick out tights (I went with a textured blue to go with the blue in the denim jacket), a belt (went with black plain to pull in the boots), and earrings/necklace (also black). So much less stress!

This lovely turquoise-trimmed denim jacket is a Smoking Lily one that I've had for a few years. I last wore it here in June 2013 over my turquoise origami dress. I'm wearing a red satin camisole under it, but you can't really see it.
And of course, my fabulous giant vintage 80s taffeta plaid skirt (complete with built-in crinoline!). As I told everyone at work today, when you have a skirt like this and it comes with a matching headband, at some point you have to wear the matching headband.
I last wore this skirt of fabulousness here in November 2013, the day after my last tattoo, for the Unlimited Woman awards photoshoot.

Outerwear? Outer-there!
It was a little too chilly for this jacket, but I bused to and from work today, so meh.

The stuff:
My awesome Marc boots, last seen here earlier this month with my grey brocade jacket.

Big black bling:
I love that leather and crystal choker.

Jacket (Danier leather), blazer (Smoking Lily, consignment), camisole (Spense, thrifted), skirt (Roland Kerry, vintage 80s, consignment), boots (Marc), belt (Plum), choker (Bauxo), earrings (the Cobbler).

Well, this wraps up my little series on how I plan my outfits (and how they turn out). I hope you enjoyed it. I had a request for "how I thrift shop" and since I'll be going for a nice long amble-y shop tomorrow, I'm going to take along my camera. Watch for the post on the weekend - I also have a fun special event tomorrow night!

If you're ever in Victoria, this is the best thrift shop in town. It's where the rich Oak Bay ladies drop off their "rags" and castoffs (I've talked about it before here, with interior pictures). It's a clean, bright and organized store, run by volunteers, and they have racks of stuff at thrift prices, as well as boutique items. It's all worth a browse, since sometimes they miss an obscure designer name or there's no label, but we'll get to that shortly.

I'm going to take you along on my shopping trip to some of my favourite downtown Victoria thrift stores. I only really took pictures in one of them (the one with the pounding loud music), as I was a bit nervous that the staff in the other stores would kick me out. However, I'll be sharing some tips to help you find the best stuff available at thrift stores.

Tip #1: Dress for shopping. If you're going thrift shopping, you have to dress properly.
Ideally, you'll be trying clothes on, so wear items that you can take on and off easily. No buttons, no ties, no laces, not buckles. Pull on, pull off. This goes for tops, dresses, skirts, and shoes. I prefer to shop in a skirt and tights, as I mostly thrift for dresses and skirts for my bottom half.

Be prepared to take all of your clothes off and redress about 5-7 times. I like to try things on when I have about 6-8 items that I'm carrying around (that's when it starts to become a workout!). Most thrift stores have a "limit" number for try-ons too, so you might have to do several rounds. I have been known to do a partial try-on in front of a mirror instead of waiting for a room in some stores.

And have some respect for the clothes you are trying on: no lipstick, no snaggy jewelry.
Drama! I'm wearing my thrifted Club Monaco merino wool sweater (nice and thin, but still warm) over a cami. I last wore the sweater here back in March 2013, also for a shopping trip and also with these same easy-on/easy-off boots.
The skirt is actually a cape (the Cape of Good Hope*) by Smoking Lily. I last wore it here in October 2013 with a mix of pinks.
*linking 'cause I love
I like the silk-screened branch that runs down the point. This skirt is super easy to get on and off - the zipper you see just needs to go down a titch and voila, skirt is off.

The boots are good for walking - my solo shopping trips are usually walking to and from town, then hitting a bunch of stores. They need to last for at least 6 hours. I last wore them here (3rd outfit) in early December 2013, with my other Smoking Lily cape/skirt.

Dressing for shopping means that you also need to consider your outerwear.

Cat optional

This coat is fitted but thick and warm. I don't want any bulkiness when I'm carrying hangers and sifting through racks of clothes.

The scarf is a Smoking Lily silk one that I got as a wedding shower gift, oh, 18 years ago. I like fingerless gloves (mine are 100% wool, made in Canada) for shopping in cold weather, especially in the mornings, when the shops are not always fully heated.

A cross-body bag is a must for hands-free shopping. I can also put small purchases, like a thin blouse, slips or jewelry into the bag for security, and it fits my own reusable nylon shopping bag and my scarf/gloves when I need to have them off. This one is leather, was made in Italy and was thrifted for under $20.

The stuff:
Some pretty necklaces that I still quite like, but don't wear very often anymore. The bottom one is locally made, and was worn twisted around my wrist.

Sweater (Club Monaco, thrifted), skirt/cape (Smoking Lily, thrifted), boots (Miz Mooz), necklace (2024, The Bay), necklace (locally-made), earrings (vintage).

Tip #2: Go For the Good Stuff: In most thrift stores, the jeans all look the same, the sweaters will always be pilled, have stains and be moth-eaten, and t-shirts will always be a little too worn. Yes, these are sweeping statements, and although sometimes there are gems in each group, they are for the diehard I-have-all-the-time-in-the-world-to-shop thrifter. Most of the time, I skip those areas.

What is the good stuff? These are the categories where you're going to find real scores:

• Dresses
• Jackets and blazers
• Skirts
• Blouses (i.e. not knits)
• Outerwear
• Shoes
• Belts, purses, scarves and accessories

That blue dress on the front fit really weird.

You can see I've covered colour, pattern, texture and shine! Here's what I look for in each of those categories:

Colour: I like bright, saturated colour. I look for consistency of colour in a garment; no fading, either from wear or from being on a display (faded shoulders). Working from one end in a section, when I see a colour I like in a long line of clothes on a rack, I pull it out. I can quickly go through a rack in about 5 minutes, just by ignoring say, baby blue (a colour I loathe and that looks awful on me), or any other colour I don't wear much. I tend to skip black for this reason. Too much the same!

Pattern: I look for classic patterns, like the paisley and the floral in the above picture. I avoid dated prints (some of those 80s ones, and some of the gawdawful 90s florals, for example), unless they are awesomely kitschy (like my Spanish ladies dress).

Texture: I am all about how a garment feels. Touch a piece of clothing and then look at the label to see what it's made of. I look for cotton, wool, cashmere, viscose (a plant fibre), silk, and of course, leather and suede! I'm all right with polyesters that are good quality (some feel comparable to silk), and vintage polyesters and nylons. Modern fabrics feel very scratchy and rough to the touch. You can actually train your fingers to recognize "real" fabric by continually touching clothes when you shop. I can actually run my fingers along a rack and pull out the best quality items just by feeling them.

Shine: Well, I'm a crow! I like things that are shiny or details like beading or embroidery. But shine doesn't have to mean actual light-reflecting qualities; it can be just that little big of bling on a skirt or jacket, like some fringe, a bit of lace or a zipper trim. I will pull out shiny or blinged-up things and check them out, just in case they are really cool. I've found some good items this way.

Tip #4: Examine Before You Try On: Take each garment and give it a thorough once-over. Check stress points: bottoms of zippers, tops of slits, waist buttons/hooks, pocket corners and hems. You're looking for rips, popped seams, physical wear and missing pieces. Check the lining inside, especially around the waistband, the armholes and at the bottom of zippers - this is often ripped.

Put back the damaged stuff. No matter how awesome the piece is, unless you are a good sewer, have a good tailor and are willing to pay more money to get the item fixed up, or have an amazing drycleaner who can get those stubborn vintage stains out (of course, that also costs money), put it back. I have none of those abilities or staff, so if there's damage, that's a done deal for me.

So following these tips above, it's time to try some things on. Here's what I picked at the Patch, and here's how I look at each item.
The above skirt is awesome, but you can see the frayed seam (to the left of the top of the slit) that I missed on my first glance-through, and that the seam below the bottom of the zipper is also popped. I'm not a seamstress, but this is too much wear for a thrift item for my taste. Nope, it's going back. I'm not even going to try it on.

I found this awesome Fendi jacket by feel. I checked the label: yup, 100% cashmere.
I then turned the entire garment inside out. Why? Checking seams, looking for wear (armpits in jackets), checking the stitching and construction. It was lovely - seems to be genuine, although the fabric had some pilling under the arms.

It was too tight on me, unfortunately, and I didn't love it enough to pay $39.99. It was a little Kermit-y.

Another item that I'd grabbed was this gorgeous cotton red denim Ralph Lauren jacket.
I spotted it because of the colour, which was a gorgeously saturated and rich red, with no fading at all. Unfortunately it was too big and too boxy on me, so I put it back.

I love the floral pattern on this blouse, which is why it stuck out from the masses of other floral blouses.
It reminds me of Renaissance paintings, and elements of still lifes: big cabbage roses, grapes and plums. It's a very pretty dark floral with a good accent colour palette to match bottoms to (I see red, turquoise, burgundy and green). This was a soft polyester (washable!) and it's definitely modern manufacture. There's a split at the front neckline and one at the back that buttons. The sleeves are cuffed, a nice detail vs. elastic cuffs. I put this in the "maybe" pile.

I spotted this jacket because of the zipper detail. I liked the look of the collar, so I gave it a whirl.
Nice gold accents, and good seaming, but a bit "boobular mass"-y on me. Also pilling on the arms and not the best construction (poorly lined). All man-made materials. Put it back.

Sometimes I try stuff on for "sh*ts and giggles" - this vintage 80s Le Chateau jacket was so delightfully retro, I had to try it.
 It also had all its buttons, is fully-lined and the lame (lah-may!) in the pattern wasn't shredding or frayed. The sleeve cuffs were all sloppy, though, and wouldn't lay flat, and the shoulder pads were massive. It's a bit too short on my body for my boobs, and it's just not a great cut on me overall. Put it back.

I actually tried this dress on during a previous visit to the Patch about a month ago.I was surprised to see it still there. Must try on again.
Awesome colour, great shape, pockets (pockets!), and it's a wool blend. The fit is killer. Into the maybe pile.

Now, no judgement here! I know I have a penchant for leather, thank you. Am I really going to put a full-length black leather skirt BACK ON THE RACK? Duh, no! This was a Danier, of course, and it's one of their Made in Canada line. It was soft like buttah.
Can you feel me loving that skirt? I'm all about the attitude when wearing leather. Which brings us to...

Tip #5: Pose It and Move It:Why not view yourself in as flattering a pose as you can muster? I know the lighting sucks, and it's cramped and you're sweaty. Put your arm on your hip, stick your leg out, and stand up straight. If your room doesn't have its own mirror, come out and walk towards another mirror. Don't stand like you're facing the firing squad; most of your life in your clothes is spent moving around, so see how the clothes move.

If you think you might be sitting in the item (eg. in a cab/car/bus, at a desk, at a restaurant), then sit in it. I know, seems obvious, but wouldn't you rather find out now that that cute skirt is way too short for the office? Or that you can only take baby steps in that vintage pencil skirt?

Also, when moving around, do your usual arm motions that you might do; there's no need to do a squat or a cartwheel, but check the reach you have. It would suck to rip a blouse or jacket because you had to grab the loop hanger on the bus one morning. It would also suck to rip the slit in a skirt because you took too long a stride in it.
This is a vintage dress, gorgeously made. I was drawn to the pattern's colours (more dark florals), the rich cotton velvet texture, and the beautiful details. Wow, such a cool piece. However, I have to pull the skirt up to sit, I have to keep perfect posture through my core, and I can't lift my arms above my shoulders. Vintage doesn't have stretch. In the "maybe" pile.

Tip #6: Construction Matters: Notice that not a single item that I've tried on is a knit? Knits, even good quality ones, don't have any construction and have very few seams, and seams are what give a garment shape. They can make or break an item. Seams around the torso can make your waist look tiny, and seams around the bust can enhance your shape. Seams should lay flat, not bunch, not be stretched and in places that flatter your body.
This dress? Really flatters my body. Yowza! It's a modern piece, with illusion lace (it's the pattern of the dress, not actual lace). A good neutral colour with a fabulous pattern, a nice cap sleeve and an awesome and unusual neckline. But it's the fit that is the best part of this dress; you could do it in any colour or pattern, and it would still be an amazing dress. This went into the firmly "YES" pile.

You'll have noticed that I haven't said a word about sizes.

Tip #7: Ignore Sizes: Unless it looks like it would fit a toddler or it would swim on you, if it is a good quality item, TRY IT ON. I don't go into a thrift store looking for my size, like you would in a mall store or a chain. I look for the best quality I can find, regardless of size.

Sizing is whack. Back in the 80s there was a big shift in sizing: suddenly a size 10 was a size 6. Vanity sizing! Plus there's European sizing, and some designers use letters (I have an Andres Courreges skirt in size B). Sometimes the scale is 0-1-2-3-4, where a 2 is actually a medium (0 = extra small, 4 = extra large, etc.).

The size is just a number, so don't pass on an amazing item because of that number. I wear anywhere from an XS to an XXL (in the same brand sometimes), from a 2 to a 14, and from a 32 to a 42. My shoe size is anywhere from an 8 to a 10, and from a 39 to a 41. All manufacturers' sizing varies - there is no standard.

Tip #8: Look at Accessories: Shoes, belts, scarves, gloves, hats, purses and jewelry are often overlooked, but as mentioned earlier, if you don't have a lot of time (or you are new to thrifting), you can find some great items and not spend too long (good for short attention spans, or those easily overwhelmed).

Shoes: Condition, materials (I prefer leather), quality and size. I'll generally try on every pair of shoes that looks nice, within a size or two of my usual size 9.5. If they aren't perfect, I don't buy 'em.

Purses: I walk along the purse wall and squeeze all the bags, every single one. I'm looking for leather, of course. I always notice how icky faux leather gets after a few years. Bleck. If I find leather, I check the handles for cracking, and then I check the lining for wear and tear. I'm very fussy about purses. They have to be perfect.

Belts: Again, I look for leather. I run my hand through the belts, feeling for softness. There are many vintage 80s leather belts out there that are hard as rock - I avoid those ones. Sometimes I see a good metal belt too, and I always like a nice wrap belt, in leather or fabric.

Scarves: I feel for silk, touching each scarf. I like a strong pattern or contrasting colours, and I look for hand-rolled edges.

Hats: I feel for fur, felt and wool. I check the condition of the hat-band and lining if any. I like an unusual shape and of course, it has to fit perfectly.

Gloves: leather, wool or cashmere lining. If they are evening gloves, fit and condition (no rips or stains) are paramount. I have big hands, so I don't find gloves very often, but because of that, when I do find gloves they are frequently new.
However, I did spot these burnished gold leather beauties in the bin o' gloves and winter mittens. They called to me - no, seriously, they actually chimed. You can see the little gold bells on them!

Jewelry: I look for real metal (silver and copper, primarily), leather and bold vintage pieces. I don't find too much, but once in a while, something just leaps out at you. I check all clasps, and inspect for glue, repairs and makers' stamps.

Last Word: Prices: This isn't a tip, really, but sometimes the thrill of finding something really cheap can trip you up. Even if it's a leather skirt for $7.50, try not to let the price alone convince you to buy it. Consider how much you will actually wear it, but truly, it has to fit and be special - you should love all your clothes!

I spent a total of $135 on 8 items on my shopping trip, with prices ranging from $39 to $2.50 per item. My budget was $150 (although I always allow for that magical item - you never know when you're going to run across a pair of Fluevogs!).

Here's what I brought home with me: the red wool dress:
It's by The Limited and was $22.98. The Patch had a "buy one, get one (BOGO)" promotion on, so I saved about 30% from the marked prices. I have a 60s party to go to soon, and I like the mod look of this. It will also be nice for layering blouses, and I like the shorter hemline. It'll be a nice spring/summer red dress.

Of course I got the grey lace-print dress! Isn't it fabulous?
As mentioned, it's Banana Republic, and is a cotton-poly-viscose blend - it was $38.98 plus BOGO. It's from their spring 2012 collection (how can I tell? It's on the fabric content label, which is hidden in the layer between the lining and the outer fabric. So sneaky!), which was when they did the "Mad Men" line - you can see that classic 60s silhouette here. I can't wait to pop some colour off this dress!

I had to get this blouse:
It was only $12.98, plus the BOGO, and I love the pattern. It will be great with a skinny pencil skirt and a wide belt, or layered under a dress or jacket.

Yeah, I got the velvet dress:
It was $38.98 (plus BOGO) and it was just too fabulous to pass up! It has no tags or labels - I was fairly certain that it was handmade. It is probably vintage...maybe 60s or 70s, with that pattern?

Behold the glory of the velvet dress:
Such beautiful rich colours! We'll take a better look at it in a bit - I actually wore it out on Saturday night!

Who can't resist a beautiful leather skirt? *hand up* Me, that's who.
As mentioned, Danier Leather and made in Canada. It's modern and since I know their made in Canada line is tres, tres expensive, this probably sold new for around $200-300. For me? $22.98 plus BOGO. Can't wait to wear it!

I did get the leather gloves:
You can see a bit of the metallic gold finish on them there. They are new, and are made in India. They're from Target "Limited Edition" and have a 2005 copyright date on them. They're also an XL so they fit me perfectly! They were $12.98 plus BOGO.

As well as The Patch, I went to the St. Vincent de Paul, but there wasn't anything good today. I also stopped in at the Beacon Avenue Thrift Store (where I found my vintage burgundy wool suit recently), but no luck there either. I stopped in at the WIN Warehouse Store (where I ran into the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow), but by then it was getting late, and I just did the shoes and accessories and peeked at the vintage.

I had actually popped into the Hospice Store on the way to town, then picked up my purchases on the way home (thank you, ladies!).

Did someone say something about a $7.50 leather skirt? That wasn't me!
Okay, maybe it was. This is a lovely soft leather skirt, and yeah, it was off the half-price rack. It's made in Italy but it doesn't have a brand label.

This sweater is a good example of sizing: this is labelled a medium, but it's made in Hong Kong, so it's quite small.
Fortunately, it's also very stretchy. Plus sheer copper lame (lah-may)? Get out! It was only $6.50, so I'm good with only a few wears out of it.

I can't resist a lovely rayon-silk scarf in autumn tones.
 I like the irregular patterning and it's nice and crisply printed, with no bleed.
 Uena Vera Neumann (*info link - thank you for the correction, Nancy!) was a 70s-era scarf-maker. White tags were 1/2 price so this scarf was $2.50.

I really don't need any new coats, especially any new leather coats, but I loved how this vintage 70s one fit.
It's so soft - many of the 70s coats get very hard, but this leather is nice and soft still. I like the raincoat/trench length and styling of it, and although it's worn, there is very little damage to it, just a few small marks and nicks. I don't mind leather looking a little worn; it's part of the charm. This no-label coat was only $18.50. Score!

My dear friend Ella Love was performing on Saturday night at the Burlesque Explosion, so a gang of 8 of us went out for dinner, then to the show. A grand time was had by all, and I actually made the last bus home (without falling off of it).

I wore the velvet dress. I liked the contrast to all of the burlesque performers' states of undress (and there was much undressing by men too!), but that the vintage-y look of it complimented many of the performers'"street" looks. Ah, costumey people are my favourites.
Observation about wearing this dress: it has no stretch! At all. Putting on my coat caused three of the neck snaps to come undone. I also had to sit up perfectly straight all night and be careful about sitting. The double slits in the skirt part were a godsend. I am nearly a body double for whoever this was originally made for, and I have no doubt at all that this dress was custom-made.
I could probably have it taken in slightly in the back to make it a bit more form-fitting, but honestly, by the end of the night, I was very happy to have some breathing room. The dress loosened up slightly (being a cotton velvet) over the evening and was very comfortable. I don't think it has ever been worn.

This dress needs a name! Suggestions welcome.

The stuff:
My faithful classic black pumps have a good vintage air. I stuck with nude fishnets and black shoes, although I tried green tights and purple shoes. I wanted the dress to be the the main focus, but to also be a backdrop for my Grandma J's statement necklace.
Pretty sweet, isn't it? I liked all the gold.

Dress (vintage, handmade), shoes (Guess), necklace (Grandma J's, vintage 60s), cuff (vintage 60s, Mom's), jade ring (vintage 70s, Mom's), glass bangle (thrifted), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), read gold hoops (gift from L).

I want to share some of the beautiful construction detail of this dress. Very little of it is machine-sewn - a lot of it is hand-stitched.
The frog closures are made by combining two colours of ribbon (orange and purple), which are shaped then stitched into place by hand. That knot/button is also handmade.

This is the inside of the neck:
The dress zips up the side (plastic zipper, but an older one), then snap-fasteners close the top of it from the armpit across the chest to the centre of the neck, where it secures with a hook-and-eye (you can see the hook at the top). The ragged stitches there are the back of the frog. Look at all the little tiny hand stitches along the purple binding ribbon!

The top of each slit (one of those areas where I always check for wear):
Not a single visible stitch. and look at that little reinforcement across the top of the seam - it's actually thread that's been crocheted into a more secure reinforcement. Amazing detail.

For a dress that has no stretch (in the long-ago Days Before Spandex), a long slim sleeve means that special construction is required. This is near my wrist.
There are two hidden snaps that open up the cuff. Again, look at that beautiful stitching.
The entire dress is lined  in this green satin-finish cotton. I'm blown away by how well-made that is. I might not wear this dress too often (too dressy and restricting for work), but every time I do I know I'll appreciate its beauty.

Well, I hope you enjoyed our little shopping trip! Happy weekend, all, and happy thrifting.

How many new things can I fit in one outfit? Just two in this one, but I did wear the new-to-me leather coat and gloves - no picture, as I was in a hurry. Another time, I promise.

My newly-thrifted copper lame (lah-may!) sweater, purchased here on the weekend for $6.50. If I'd known the Senior VP for Western Canada was going to be in the office today, I might not have worn a sheer-shouldered sweater...but maybe I would have. It's not like he's not used to me by now.
This sweater is not very long, so I needed a high-waisted skirt to wear with it. I ended up tucking it in (one of those unspoken 'rules', right? Never tuck in a sweater? I say "pshaw!" to that), and it stayed put quite nicely all day.

The skirt is vintage 80s, last worn here (2nd outfit) in September 2013 to day 2 of the big Vintage Expo.

"Where are you going, and is there food?"

I wanted an echo of the scarf's pattern in my tights, so that they both have this nice herringbone texture.

The stuff:
My caramel shoes are piped with a bit of teal. I last wore them here in October 2013 with burgundy and mismatched shades of green and teal.

I pulled out the teal in the shoes with a bit of contrasting turquoise in my vintage copper pieces.
The big cuff, earrings and ring are from Grandma J.

Sweater (Main Fung, thrifted), skirt (Jones New York, vintage 80s, thrifted), shoes (Pink Studio), belt (Club Monaco), big cuff/earrings (Renoir, vintage 60s, Grandma J), smaller cuff (vintage 70s), floral ring (Sarah Coventry, vintage), little ring (Grandma J).

Almost a shame to waste this good outfit on a 1-hour day, but I'll also be wearing it to my WW meeting tonight (I can never find someone to cover at the last minute, so it's very entertaining for my members when I'm hooped up on medication. Fun times).
Of course, this is my Banana Republic dress that I thrifted for $38.98 (plus extra discount) here on the weekend. Although I'd planned to wear some colour with it (blue, actually) when I put this outfit together on Sunday night, the thought of wearing heels today at all just exhausted me.
So, black belt and black kitten heels.

Speaking of kittens, someone gnawed off one side of the suede bow on my right shoe this morning. At least it's leather and I caught him before he could do more damage.
I last wore these here in December 2013 with my red dress and pirate shirt.

The stuff:
Simple belt, easy earrings and just a touch of bling. I remember my dad buying this bracelet for Mom (a gift from my brother and I) at Birk's at Hillside Mall when we were very small kids. Homegrown vintage!

Dress (Banana Republic, thrifted), shoes (Town Shoes, thrifted), belt (Bianca Nygard), bracelet (vintage 70s, Mom's), earrings (The Cobbler).

I've been sleeping all day, and now I'm going to try to get another hour before I have to redo my make-up and get dressed again. Must not sleep too long.

Vizzini has been sleeping with me (on me, beside me, under the covers with me) and generally looking out for me.
I scared him off my lap (and from under the blanket) with a fit of coughing, and now he's looking at me reproachfully (and also trying to get at my shoelaces from under my closet door.

"Maybe it's a hairball?"

Thanks, little bun.

So dark! I was early on my normal routine this morning, so we get crappy morning light instead of bright morning light.

I dragged myself out of bed and went to work - yes, I'm the person who tells people to "GO HOME" when they're sick, but I don't take my own advice. I worked for 5 hours and cleared the decks somewhat; dealt with a lot of things that would have forced me to work late had I shunted them aside for another day. I've been sleeping all afternoon, and have only just come up for air (and food) now.

I felt I needed to distract everyone from the sorryass look on my face with Stripes! and Red Shoes!
This cardigan was last worn here in September 2013, and you can see how I fall back on the same patterns when I'm not putting a lot of effort into my outfits. Same cuff, same belt, mostly same colours. However, when you have a black, red, orange and tan striped cardi, there is only so much you can do with it. At some point when I was feeling useful, I did indeed sew the front button placket shut, so no "hello, here are my boobs!" moments today.

I'm down to $3.00 per wear on the cardigan, since I only paid $6.00 for it. Not bad. I didn't even realize my top and bottom combined were only $13.50 total. Cheapest outfit ever? It just may be.

I liked how the stripey tights went with this ensemble

The skirt was purchased on the weekend here, as mentioned, thrifted for $7.50. I didn't 100% love it, but I like the putty/concrete colour (I matched our office building's stairwells). The snap at the waist popped open every time I bent over (thus providing incentive not to eat the catered sausage rolls!), but at least it was hidden by the belt and the zipper didn't burst open. Thank goodness for that!

The stuff:
Gasps of admiration always greet these wondrously red shoes. I was leery of wearing heels while messed up on cold medication, but these were awesome. I last wore them here in early December 2013 with bright green (rather Christmassy).

When I'm feeling weak, I go for tough accessories:
My Wonder Woman cuffs (blam! pow!) and my super-secret red decoder ring (it also has a laser).*
*possibly not true

Sweater (Papell, thrifted), concrete skirt (no label, thrifted), shoes (Marc), belt (Plum), studded cuff (homegrown vintage 80s), leather cuff (Guess, thrifted), ring (Oscar & Libby's), earrings (gift from L).

Starey-eye

Feeling a bit better today, so put in my full day, but then extra to get caught up on all the work I missed getting done while I was off. How does that freakin' happen?

Anyway, power through! And wear a dress. This is my new-to-me red wool dress (with pockets as you can see in the pictures), and my floral blouse, both thrifted on the weekend here.
This dress was awesome to wear all day - nice and warm, bright colour. But woo! Short hem! I had to watch when I bent over.
The blouse was just sleeves in this outfit so yeah, go, blouse!

The stuff:
Smurf shoes, last seen here way back in September 2013 with black and white. I usually pack them away for spring/summer, but kept them out this year, thinking I could wear them with tights. And here we are in January. Yeah.

Big blue balls:
Funny story: Back when I worked in the year-round Christmas store, we would get phone calls all the time, people looking for very specific items, like teapot ornaments, that sort of thing. So one night, I get a call from a man and he says, "Do you have any blue balls?" I said, "Oh, yes, we have all kinds of ball ornaments, in lots of colours." His voice gets all low and raspy, and he says, "I have blue balls right now." I was 19 years old, I had no idea what blue balls meant! When my boyfriend explained it to me, I thought it was pretty funny. It's the only crank call I ever got working there.

PS - don't Google "blue balls" - seriously, don't. Take my word for it.

*ahem* Isn't that a nice turquoise necklace?? Hee hee!

Dress (The Limited, thrifted), blouse (no label, thrifted), shoes (Prepare Guide, Fluevogs), necklace (vintage fair), earrings (Aldo Accessories).

Never fear! Leather's here! Yeah, I saved the best for last: this absolutely gorgeous black "buttah-soft" leather skirt that I thrifted last weekend here.

I do like clothing with presence and this skirt is one of those pieces that announces itself; it flaps and crackles like wind in sails. I walk very fast around my office (and I walk a lot), so everyone heard me coming. Make way, I'm comin' to the printer!

I was a little blurry this morning

The top is one I always forget about. Most of my tops are either sweaters/cardigans, blouses or jackets, which all get hung up (well, not the sweaters - never hang sweaters!) in my closet, so I tend to be all, "Oh,yeah" about the few jersey tops I own that live in my cami/layering top drawer of the dresser in my bedroom. My walk-in closet? Not in my bedroom. L gets the closet in the bedroom all to himself; a full 8' wide and 2' deep crammed with all of his cool clothes.
I thrifted this top for cheap ($8.00) about a year and a half ago - I last wore it here in May 2013 with a pink skull skirt. I have a rust-coloured cami on under it, barely visible.

Sulky Sheila in outerwear:

"I want to go back to bed"

Love that blue coat, but it drives me nuts when I don't have any pockets. A girl needs pockets!

The stuff:
 My plain ol' taupe boots don't worn too much, but I do love them. They are pretty comfy for a 3" heel (that's about my max these days, especially for a full day at work). I last wore them here with a barnyard in November 2013.

Toothy bling:
I made "rar!" noises and waggled my necklace at my coworkers today, pretending the spikes on it were teeth. Because I am silly like that.

I hope your weekend is full of fun and silliness!

Top (Talbot's, thrifted), cami (InWear), skirt (Danier Leather, thrifted), boots (Coffee Kope Tiam, Fluevog), necklace (The Bay), cuff (Guess, thrifted), ring (Stone Roses), snake ring (homegrown vintage 80s), earrings (don't remember).

After sleeping in to 12:30 on Saturday morning...er, afternoon, L and I went for brunch. The lovely pinky-purpley wool pashmina was a gift from a co-worker. I think it might be Pantone's Radiant Orchid!

Edit: I nearly forgot! Get on over to "Visible Monday" at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style!

Being lazy, I wore the same skirt as Friday (here).
My chunky knit sweaters like being worn on the weekend. So nice to snuggle up in! This one was last seen here just before Christmas 2013.

After brunch, I came home and napped some more...then I wore this same outfit to Winesday.
I'm wearing my Aerosole ankle boots which I last wore on Boxing Day 2013 (here, scroll down past the gnome).

Sweater (Dex, thrifted), skirt (Danier Leather, thrifted), boots (Aerosoles, consignment), pashmina (gift from Carol-Anne).

We had fog all weekend! It was very spooky and still.
My view of the Castle from the stairs outside.

Um, and this is what happens when you forget to take the zoom off the camera:
Well, at least you can see the nice textures!

Today was rough. Still not feeling the best, coughing and generally feeling achy and wanting to sleep and/or lie on the couch all day.
This outfit is a variation on my purple/green ensemble from the last time I wore this Ron Leal jacket, at the end of December 2013, here. That's also the last time I wore these shoes.

Don't I look sad and pathetic?

I'm wearing my purple mock-neck cashmere sweater under the jacket. I last wore it here in the December 2012 capsule (recap here), where I said I was getting rid of it and not keeping it just because it was cashmere.

*guilty look*

I totally kept it because it was cashmere! And I didn't wear it for a whole year. Sheila, pass it along!
This green skirt always makes the cut in my closet. It's gorgeous and a pleasure to wear. I last wore it here in October 2013 with my oversized peach shirt. Huh, I was sick last time I wore it.

I'm starting to look at my fall/winter clothes and think about what's going to leave my closet at the end of March. I'm trying to look at things with a critical eye, thinking, "Do I really LOVE this item, or do I have it because it was a good deal/good quality/some other reason?" I took a big bag of clothes in to work on Friday, and will try to pass along all the best stuff to my friends and coworkers. The rest will get donated.

The stuff:
I am probably not going to keep these shoes. They pinched my toes today and generally bothered me.

Big gold bling:
I discovered while monkeying around with this belt last night, that it works really well as a necklace. I wasn't feeling that adventurous this morning (I wore my belt...as a belt), but I think it has potential.

Jacket (Ron Leal, thrifted), sweater (Daniel Bishop, consignment), skirt (Precis Petites), shoes (Gold Button), belt (thrifted), blingy ring (consignment), jade ring (vintage 70s, Mom's), earrings (gift from L).

The jacket is the wonderful Danier Couture black leather, last seen here in my post-tattoo Unlimited Woman photo-shoot outfit in November 2013. Ha, same necklace - so original.

The blouse was last worn with a denim vest on casual Friday here in November 2013. It has oodles of ruffles. I like ruffles.

My slip hem is showing a bit - eep! I adjusted once I saw this picture.

The lovely bright and sunny skirt is always popped by bits of black. I last wore it here in November 2013 with classic blacks.

The stuff:
I adore these Cydwoq shoes - I've had them for a few years now. They have no padding but they are just works of art in how they are sculpted to my foot. I would love another pair, but I don't want to order online (I like to see things in person). I last wore them here in December 2013 with the Glitter Skirt of Awesome!

Big colourful bling.
A Wendy Brandes ring goes with everything.

Jacket (Danier Couture, consignment), blouse (Uno Due, thrifted), skirt (Attention, thrifted), shoes (Cydwoq), necklace (vintage fair), ring (Wendy Brandes).

Hurray! Nearly light out!

I love skirts. Pencil skirts are awesome, particularly lovely vintage ones (bring on that high waist!), especially ones in nice colours. Example: this fabulous cerulean blue vintage skirt. It's wool crepe, and it's handmade, and would you believe I only paid $6.50 for it at the thrift store? Yes! I've worn it twice before (most recently in late December 2013 for Ugly Sweater Day here), so I am down to just over $2 a wear.
It's a bit hard to see, but the jacket has little bitty Ws in white all over. Like spots but Ws. Incidentally, I've done the collar up wrong - discovered this much later in the day and felt a little silly. I was very tired this morning! It's supposed to sit like this.

I loved the fit of this jacket and was really glad I'd worn it - it had kind of gotten lost in the black jacket section (what? you don't have one?) of my closet. I last wore it here with giant green culottes, back in April 2013 when I was blonde.
I loved how the holey tights looked with the jacket. They really elevated this, I think.

The stuff:
A very rare sighting of the Listen Up Mansfield! I adore these shoes, but they no longer adore me...well, at least not my feet. They are a good 4" high, which is really pushing my foot limits. However, I knew I would have a somewhat quieter day (a brief reprieve), and I changed into my runners both times I had to run some errands.

I last wore them in the December 2012 capsule (recap here), where I wore them twice (here, a truly hideous outfit, and here, a much better one). It was an "on the fence" item at the end of that month, but I of course kept them.

Bling:
I like nice shapes and clean lines.

Jacket (Precis, consignment), skirt (handmade, thrifted), shoes (Listen Up Mansfield, Fluevogs), belt (Danier Leather), rings (Wendy Brandes), earrings (The Cobbler).

Maybe it's the tights

No sucking? This outfit! I was so thrilled with how nice these pieces worked with each other. I was told by a coworker that I looked "Directorial" - when I relayed this to someone else, they said, "Yeah...from the ankles up." What? Directors don't wear flowers and big bows on their shoes? I call BS.
I just love this beautiful rich red jacket. It's half of my $18.00 vintage 60s suit, last seen here in December 2013.
I just love this tulip skirt. It was a gift from Megan, and was last worn here (3rd outfit, after my Hallowe'en costume) in October 2013 for a casual lunch out.

The stuff:
Wonderful red-pink shoes of flowery awesomeness! I last wore them here earlier this month for brunch out.

Solid bling:
Vizzini likes to bite that zipper rose.

Jacket (vintage 60s, Hetteman's, W&J Wilson, thrifted), skirt (Etcetera, gift from Megan Mae), tights (Look of London), shoes (Neosens), belt (Plum), zipper rose (Victoria & Albert Museum gift shop), earrings (vintage 80s, Joyce's).

As I was going out to do the stair picture, I found someone digging at the baseboards.

"Must get it!"

That heavy crystal vase on the right is there to keep Vizzini from popping the closet doors open.

I got a slip of paper and ran it under the baseboard to see if there was actually a bug or a paperclip or something.

"I protect the people!"

Nothing. I wonder what caught his eye? I hope you caught it, bud!

I took 2 pictures total of the front-facing pose. I deleted the first one because I was really blurry. This one sufficed. Still blurry in the head, though. Must be Friday.

"Is that...sun? So...bright!"

I've met up with the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow (check out her post about our meet-up here) many times over the years, since we discovered we both lived here in Victoria, and she recently suggested that we get together with some other local bloggers, H of Ponside (about our meet-up here), and Lorrie of FabricPaperThread.

Funny moment: all of us (being bloggers) all snapping pictures of everyone and everything! The very kind waitress patiently took a picture with each of our cameras (4), which were all of varying degrees of technology.

Ultra-casual stair pose

So happy to see the sun out, even if it was only briefly. I agonized over what to wear, but ultimately I knew I'd be wearing a hat for Judith's "Hat Attack!" over at Style Crone (go see!).

Since both H and Lorrie were new-to-me in blogging terms, I wanted to give a good representation about what I'm all about as a blogger. I'm 45+, highly visible, and committed to ethical shopping and above all, wearing what you want!

I also knew I'd be walking at least one way to the White Heather Tea Room, so my shoes and hat would drive the rest of the outfit. Also, being the weekend, I didn't want to be in super-restrictive clothing (this turned out to be a good idea, with the very rich tea we had!).
L ended up driving me there, as it took a little longer than anticipated to get both batches of chili going, but I did walk home.

The jacket is my bargain silk and wool tweed, last worn here in December 2013 with shiny paisley. It demonstrated my rockin' thrifting skills (yo), since I paid only $2.50 for it. I shared many of my favourite thrift and consignment shops with my new friends!
The two-tier cotton skirt is so swooshy and fun! I wore it for the drama and comfort, and because it was a consignment purchase. I last wore it for a weekend shopping trip in September 2013 (here, after the monochromaniacs).

The boots are my wonderful Miz Mooz, last seen here a couple of weeks ago with my Etro blazer. A lady stopped me in a store on the way home to tell me they were "the most beautiful boots I've ever seen." Aw.

A better look at the side of the hat - it's quite an interesting shape. It sits naturally on my head (i.e. no elastic or anything holding it on) with the side folds over one ear. I like to wear a pin at that point, so opted for my gold leather Smoking Lily anatomical heart (it now being February).

And I see the old chick I will become...

This hat is vintage and was purchased well over 10 years ago in Value Village (I think) for a couple of dollars. This is the first time I've ever worn it as part of an outfit on the blog, although I did model it and post a picture of me wearing it pre-blog here in 2010 (it's down in the bottom half of the post).

I am so thankful for the encouragement of Hat Attack! and my fellow fashion bloggers for inspiring me to push my fashion limits and wear some of the more daring items I find in my shopping adventures!

My full outerwear ensemble:
Added my faux fur collar, elbow-length brown leather gloves (they fit well under the bell sleeves of the blazer), and my cross-body bag leather bag (another awesome thrift find).

The stuff:
A mix of store-bought, local, and gift stuff.

The hat's label:

That is the worst-looking deer I have ever seen.

And here we all are, at the White Heather Tea Room for an afternoon tea:

From left: L (the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow), me, H of Ponside and Lorrie of FabricPaperThread

I arrived first, then L:

I love that L wears her good pearls on a daily basis - don't save them for "special times" - wear 'em!

Such a lovely lady, inside and out! Congratulations on hitting your WW goal weight, L! I'm so proud of you!

H arrived next, and I was immediately struck by her beautiful luminous skin:
Isn't she elegant and classy? Her jacket was a gorgeous, vibrant textured wool, and it went perfectly with her two-tone blue and silver necklace and earrings. She also had on fabulous leopard-pattern fishnet stockings! Rar, a woman after my own heart!

Lorrie got a little lost, but she made it!
She was classic in black and white with pearls, and had a divine grey croc-finish clutch. We were all in deep admiration of her commitment to tea, as she's recovering from a dislocated jaw.

The White Heather does the best English afternoon tea. They have wonderful crisp white linens, and vintage teacups and saucers. This was mine:
It took my right back to having tea at my Grandma J's when I was a little girl. I had my own special teacup and saucer, and our tea was always Red Rose, mine with a bit of sugar (I liked how the sugar all settled into the bottom of the cup). When Grandma J died, I asked to have "my cup" - I still have it, and I should definitely dig it out! What am I saving it for?

L's teacup was one of the same ones that Grandma J had:
It reminds me of the springtime cherry blossoms, which will be appearing soon.

We all ordered the Wee Tea (trust me, it's still a lot of food!):
I had the "Mad Hatter" tea blend - I thought it was appropriate for the occasion and my chapeau. I enjoyed all of the little sandwiches (there are two pinwheels and the centre biscuit one), but resisted most of the poppyseed cake, shortbread and the divinely sweet bar. I think I may have horrified the other ladies when I mashed up 3/4 of each of the desserts with my fork, and sprinkled salt all over the ensuing mess. Old WW trick for resisting picking at leftovers on the plate. I did eat all my sliced fruit!

After a couple of hours of stimulating conversation and blogging comparables, we all headed next door to the House of Savoy, a high-end vintage and consignment store. I don't visit it too often, as it's usually on the pricey side, but if you want to find labels like Dior, Prada, Escada, you name it - that's the place.

Speaking of Dior, you should have seen the $1,700 full-length vintage fur coat they had! It had "Dior" watermarked silk lining, and was a gorgeous thick fur. Of course, I checked the pockets...and found a box of matches from a very posh Vancouver hotel, along with a receipt for three drinks (and the credit card manual slip), dated January 1999. I loved that little glimpse into the previous life of the coat. If I'd had the gumption, I would have tried it on!

We browsed for a while, then went our separate ways. Although I didn't find anything clothing for me, I did find a really nice red wool suit vest for L ($39), and a ring for myself. On the way home, I also stopped at Good Things (no website), an upscale thrift store that carries a little bit of everything. It's a wonderful place for a browse, and browse I did!

Here's what I found on my shopping travels:
Purple leather cuff: $10.00. I'm always on the lookout for leather cuffs, and this was a great colour and a great shape. Can't go wrong at $10.

This bracelet's tag said "signed" but I haven't been able to find the signature anywhere. I was drawn to the hand-cast metal (steel, I think) connector pieces. Those aren't ready-made from a bead shop.
It's composed of the steel rivets/closure loops, rubber strips (black and clear/coloured), irregularly-shaped glass beads and some common jump rings. I paid $15.00 for it, and I feel like I got a real work of art.

Here's how it looks on:
I really like the artiness of it. The colour mix is black, purple and yellow, which is one of my favourites. I'm excited to wear it!

A better shot of the cuff's colour and the split front:
 I like the tapered closure:
Two snaps for sizing (I have really small wrists, so I like that it does up small).

Both the cuff and the bracelet were from Good Things.

And at the House of Savoy, I could spend hours poring over the jewelry in their cases. I spotted this spinner ring and was thrilled when it fit:

My hands still have dough on them from making biscuits! Yikes!

It's marked sterling silver (.925) and the two spinner rings are copper and (likely) brass. There are two sets of the triple cluster of silver dots and the little red bead (coral?). I think it is a Twang & Pearl piece, as there are a few stores that sell their rings here, and the cluster and bead are motifs they use frequently. I paid $38.00 for this, which I think is a deal! I know their plain silver spinner rings sell for over $60 new.

Well, I'm off - the Super Bowl partiers will be arriving any moment for the pre-show, and I need to give the chilis a stir. Hope you've had a wonderful weekend!

It was light out this morning!

Easy stuff, like my favourite skirt and blouse, and a nice snug vest to keep me sitting up straight. The red leather skirt was last seen here a couple of weeks ago with a very ruffly jacket.
This blouse always gets tons of compliments; it's such a cool pattern, very psychedelic. I last wore it on my birthday (with leather, of course) here back in October 2013.

I have the 60s on my mind, as a bunch of us are going to the gala opening of the Victoria Film Festival, and it's 60s-themed! Fun! I get to pull out some of my little-worn vintage. I'm going with the Twiggy/mod/Andy Warhol's Factory look.
I haven't worn the vest in a while - maybe I'm off vests? I don't know. I last wore it here (2nd outfit) with my barnyard skirt in July 2013.

The stuff
Wonderful shoes of loveliness! I last wore them in August 2013 here, with a shoulderless top.

The stuff:
Had to wear my new spinner ring!

Blouse (Marcona, thrifted), vest (Ricki's, consignment), skirt (Ocean West, consignment), shoes (Coffee Sumatra, Fluevog), silver/red ring (Oscar & Libby's), spinner ring (consignment), earrings (local).

I wasn't dressed for the cold, and was freezing most of the day. However, I'm pretty layered up, so I blame the AC in our building.

The top is my leather suede shirt, last seen here (2nd outfit) a couple of weeks ago for a brunch outing.
I have it layered over a neutral taupe tank sweater (layered here in October 2013). For those of you who've marveled at my wonderful memory for when I last wore something...I really have an awful memory! I actually use the little Google search bar at the top left corner of my blog to look for the brand names or key words.
The skirt was at least weather-appropriate. It is nice and thick and toasty warm. I last wore it here in November 2013 with a chunky navy sweater (and this same belt, so original).

Someone at work today said I looked Scottish (what, the plaid?), but I don't feel Scottish in this. Mock Scottish? A mock Scot? Mockish? Mawkish? Ah, words...so fun.

The stuff:
Second outing for these groovy boots, last worn here on New Year's Eve. They were comfy enough. Don't know if I totally love 'em, though. What do you think?

Shirt (True Character, thrifted), top (Ellen Tracy, swap from Caro), skirt (Julius, vintage, thrifted), boots (Gold Button), belt (Plum), necklace (gift from Mom).

For today, at least the sun was shining, and I had my lovely dark florals.

The fab creamy brocade jacket is in heavy rotation these days - can't get enough of that nice strong shoulder and the cropped sleeve. It was last seen here in early January with a whack of neutrals.
I encouraged my coworker to try long sleeves under short, and am demonstrating same. It's okay! Don't worry about it. The cuffs of this blouse are not too puffy, and kept my wrists warm (we must ever be practical...ha, who am I kidding?). I last wore the dark florals here a few weeks ago with my mod red dress, which will be making another appearance tomorrow.
The olive suede skirt is quite high-waisted, so I did a skinny belt at my natural waist to emphasize it. I last wore this skirt for Monochromania! week back in September 2013 here.

The stuff:
Wondrous Wonders - my Wonders Ayers, of course. I last wore them here in October 2013 in a truly awful outfit (gah, don't even look! that sweater is getting relegated to around-the-house wear).

I wore both of my new bracelets today - they weren't super noticeable against the pattern of the blouse, but I enjoyed them.
I had a very exciting comment from Jaclyn T (of Positive Ponderings) who thought that my $15.00 rubber, glass and steel  pewter bracelet looked like a piece by Montreal artist Anne-Marie Chagnon. Ding ding ding! You are so right, Jaclyn! This is the Marius bracelet that she linked me to, and it's totally by Ms. Chagnon. Same shape of the large glass piece, same cast pieces closing the rubber, same rubber! And wee! $128! I scored! *does the happy dance* I am guessing that because all of her current bracelets are strung on elastic that mine is a slightly older design.

Other works by her, and her site, just for fun, linking 'cause I love, etc. etc. I also found a few places in BC that carry her pieces, so it was likely bought locally. Anyway, thank you, Jaclyn! I would never have known that I actually have a real artist's piece without you telling me.

I loved wearing both the leather cuff and the bracelet all day - very comfy and neither fell off (an issue with my small wrists).

Jacket (Le Chateau, consignment), floral blouse (thrifted, no label), skirt (Danier, thrifted), shoes (Wonders Ayers, Fluevog), belt (Plum), cuff (thrifted), bracelet (Anne-Marie Chagnon, thrifted), earrings (90s).

Someone was having a drink of water at his bowl this morning while I ate my breakfast.

Lick lick lick lick lick

 He spotted me...well, he saw the camera string.

"Can't a cat drink in peace?"

We had a little cuddle before I left.

I am kind of test-driving the 60s mod look with this outfit. I am going to work on my look tonight. I have a lot of great vintage stuff that I haven't worn in a long time (did you know I featured it on a series many years ago? Check it out here), and I would love to put a fun outfit together.

I enjoyed today's outfit - I liked all the reds/oranges and got a bunch of compliments on the brightness of it (the above picture is pretty accurate). Only 2 of the reds actually match: the shoes and the red of the blouse.
This is my lovely pocketsy wool dress, last seen here a couple of weeks ago in January with yesterday's blouse.
My paramecium blouse strikes again! I last wore it in October 2013 here with my burgundy wool sweater dress.

The stuff:
Every time I look for shoes to get rid of, my eyes alight on these. But every time I wear them, I'm reminded how much I like 'em. They were last worn here in November 2013 with crazy tights.

Big bling:
My gold belt is vintage 60s. Whenever I wear it, I kick my 17-year-old self for taking the swag chains and chain tassels off it! It was so magnificent!

Dress (The Limited, thrifted), blouse (Liz Claiborne), shoes (Hilary Radley, thrifted), belt (vintage 60s, Mom's), spinner ring (Twang & Pearl), silver spinner ring (consignment), gold earrings (gift from L).

Check back on Sunday or Monday for tomorrow's outfit (hint: leather and leopard), the VFF gala outfit (no hints! Which theme do you think I'll do?), and my Saturday brunch/thrift shopping outfit and haul. It's a long weekend here in BC (Family Day), so have a good one if you're off. If not, sorry, sucks to be you, hee hee.

This is my entry for "Visible Monday" over at Patti's Not Dead Yet Style - get thee over there!

It's been a week of mostly blouses - I love shirts (vs. knits) and blouses because they have a nice air of formality. And when you're wearing thigh-high suede boots and an up-to-here black leather dress, you want some part of your outfit to tell the rest to just calm the f**k down.

I last wore this blouse here way, way back in March 2013.
The dress is so awesome - it's like wearing black licorice, which I imagine isn't actually a good thing, per se, but that's what it feels like. I last wore it casually for brunch in November 2013 here.
The boots are wonderful, although I do have to pull them up frequently. I last wore them here in December 2013 for Book Club.

It was still freakin' cold on Friday (it seems to have broken now; back to rain, the usual winter weather), so the Unsafe Polar Bear coat made an appearance.
Matching toque, and faux fur scarf and gloves. Snuggly warm!

The stuff:
Rocker chic(k) bling!

Blouse (Planet, consignment), dress (Danier Leather, thrifted), boots (Pegabo), necklace (gift from Tina), leaf cuff (About Tine, local).

L and I rushed home to get ready for the Victoria Film Festival's Opening Night Gala! (go here for their FB pictures of the entire event - maybe I'm in some??)

I test-drove my outfit on Thursday night so that there wouldn't be any surprises with fit, condition or the state of the clothes and accessories. Highly recommended.
This will be my entry for Judith at Style Crone's next "Hat Attack!" Want to be attacked by chapeaux? Go there!

Voila! I am head-to-toe late 50s/early 60s and yes, I did the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" theme. It's maybe my favourite movie of all time (seriously, much darker than you think), and my mom and dad's song was "Moon River". Aw, how could I not channel Audrey Hepburn?
This vintage thrifted black dress has never been worn on the blog (it's actually a bit big on me, but it has not stretch, so that's a good thing when sitting in a movie theatre), although it was modeled here. I got it many years ago - maybe 17 years? - at Value Village. I last wore it for my 30th birthday party.
I had no ink then! The dress has no label - it's all handmade, and sadly, falling apart a bit. There's a safety pin holding the top of the slit together, and as you can see from the stairs picture, one of the bra-strap holders is missing. I know I didn't pay over $10 for it - I recall that I found it at Value Village.
I wore my mink stole for most of the night - it kept me nice and warm, plus I was petted by several people.

L and I walked downtown, so I had to wear flat shoes - I also put on this vintage 60s swing coat. I've had it since I met L, so about 18 years. It's quite big on me, but I wanted to be authentic!
L did the swingin' 60s via Carnaby Street - in fact, he got this purple, black and cream striped jacket on Carnaby Street in London about 4 years ago.

"Lookin' at you, baby."

His ruffled shirt is vintage. The striped trousers are Le Chateau, and his belt buckle has a 60s Playboy cover on it.

The pin on his lapel is a nekkid lady - I found it at the Vintage Expo last year and gave it to him for Christmas.

"Darling, we missed you!"

We had a blast! More pictures further down, in a bit.

Nearly everything I wore was authentic 60s. The vintage bling:
The pale pink ruched gloves are Mom's from the 60s. I've had them since the 80s when I wore them to high school. I can't even remember when I last wore them. It may very well have been back in the mid-80s!

The ring is not vintage - got it at Melanie Lynne a few years ago. The stretchy bracelet on the gloves is vintage and the rhinestone finish on it is iridescent. It's stamped "Empire Made" and is vintage.

My parure was last worn for my company's Christmas party in 2012, here.
From Grandma J's collection after she died. It's from the early 60s, most likely.

It's stamped "Sherman" on the bracelet:
It is gold-plated, and the finish colour on the rhinestones is called "Aurora Borealis".

The purse isn't vintage, but it looks it:
It's actually Liz Claiborne and I've had it for about 18 years.

My classic kitten heels, good for walking to town, from the theatre to the party venue, and then walking home!
I last wore them here in November 2013 with rainy florals. They are getting pretty beat up, but I still love them. Not bad for $2.00.

I call this my Flying Saucer hat, of course.
I've never worn it on the blog, but I modeled it here in 2010. I noted then that I got it for a couple of dollars in a thrift store (I think Value Village).
I love vintage labels!

So here's a whack of pictures from the after-party. We started out with the movie premiere of "Alan Partridge" starring Steve Coogan (one of my favourite funny Brits!). After the sold-out show, the audience went to the undisclosed mystery venue, where we lined up for the red carpet.
We were treated to a dry-ice smoked show of models as we waited for the paparazzi to take our pictures in front of the venue.

No, we're too cool for paparazzi shots, darling! All 7 of us were also freezing, and couldn't wait to get inside, check out coats and get a drink!

The venue was an empty 3-floor office building, with each floor fully-decorated in one of the 3 themes. The main floor was the "60s Be-In", complete with beer bar (all booze was free, woo hoo!) and this awesome 60s stoner band:
Our friend Justin's company did the lights, which changed colours according to the music.
I see cool white boots and a groovin' 60s hippie chick.

The second floor was my favourite: "Andy Warhol's Factory" - the decor was amazing!
They wrapped all the walls with aluminum foil, and had coloured lights and foil-wrapped mannequins everywhere. Wine was on this floor, so I mostly hung out here.

The music was Lou Reed, accompanied by this awesomely cool beatnik drummer.
So...disconcerting to see all these mannequins!
L got a little frisky with one of them.
But his coat went so well with this floor.

We took the elevator, run by the lovely Linda, up to the 3rd floor.
Isn't she amazing?

Of course, the 3rd floor was "Breakfast at Tiffany's"!
A round of applause to the decorators, volunteers and coordinators - the venue was stunning, and such a fun party!

Every floor had a themed cake (the lighting was quite dim, so many of my point & shoot pictures didn't turn out.
Tiffany blue! This floor served cocktails (I may have had a couple).

Back to the Warhol floor for more wine!
Ah! The White Rabbit! As well as being totally creepy, he gave out free shots of peppermint schnapps. Of course I had one.

More perfect themed decor:
Soup cans arrayed on a ladder.

Warhol-esque pictures.
A few roaming photographers took these, plus a guy doing Polaroids. There was a station on the "Be-In" floor for lounging and taking pictures as well.

Groovy mid-century furniture to sit on.
That round thing is an 8-track player!

Elaine and I had our Polaroid picture taken.
It took about half an hour to develop, not like the original Polaroids.

Karen and Elaine:
Karen's go-go girl outfit (with white boots) was awesome. Elaine channeled her inner hippie.

More of the Tiffany's area:
A giant picture of Audrey, plus professional dancers wheeling around on the dance floor.

I loved the outfits of this sweet couple.
Her dress was astounding!

There was food everywhere, plus all kinds of fun themed items, like Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard masks.
Elaine looking very Audrey.

Me in front of the poster.
Cradling my wine glass very carefully, ha!

A selfie in the elevator!
You can see my fake eyelashes a bit there.

Nick (in a vintage smoking jacket), me and L:
I hate the flash on my camera, but at least you can see us!

Nick and Karen:
Wonderful outfits!

Elaine being dramatic!
And waiting for that Polaroid to develop!

I met this lovely lady - adored her dress.
Hi, Barbara!

I got my Warhol picture done!
Ha!

We got goodie bags when we left, with these tea-loungers in them.
Jimi Hendrix, Audrey Hepburn and Andy Warhol.

I used Audrey right away:
"Just chilling in this lovely cup of tea!"

On Saturday, L and I went for brunch at our diner with our pals Caro and Ronnie. Caro and I planned to go shopping, so I dressed for it.
Good walking boots, easy-on, easy-off clothes.

Blue sweater - can't find when I last wore it, but it hasn't been too long.
My cool snowflake denim skirt was last seen here in November 2013 with my crane cardigan.
The boots need to be replaced. I've worn them to death and they're starting to show that wear. On the lookout for some that are just as comfy! I last wore them a few weeks ago here for brunch.

Light layers for warmth and not too much bulk for shopping:
Skull scarf, grey fingerless gloves (keep my hands warm, but let me touch the clothes), and a cross-body purse for hands-free perusing.

The stuff:
Simple pieces that won't snag.

Sweater (Ricki's, thrifted), skirt (EDC, consignment), boots (Aldo, consignment), cuff (Guess, thrifted), earrings (local), necklace tile (Raven's Roost Studio).

Caro loves to look in thrift stores, but gets overwhelmed. She and I have never been shopping together (an oversight!), so I took her to 3 of my favourite thrift/consignment stores within a few blocks, and showed her how to find the good stuff (my little walk-through here, for reference).

She got some amazing things, and so did I! Good luck shone on both of us.
I thought at first that these shoes were vintage, but after a closer inspection and a little interwebz reseach, they are actually new-ish. However, I adore the vintage 60s vibe of them! They are linen and leather, lined in leather, and are made in Italy.
Fugitive de Francesco Rossi is the brand. Never heard of it before now.

Check it out: not a smidge of wear!
And only $10! They are brand new! Sweet score!

I don't usually buy things for other people when I go shopping - it's a little awkward. Do I ask them for the money? What if they don't like it? I made an exception for this sweater.
TOTALLY not my style! I loathe turtlenecks and this grey colour isn't me at all. But I work with Lise, a marathoner who weighs about 90 pounds. She is always freezing at work, and I just gave her one of my old cashmere tops, which she loved.

I think she will like this one too:
100% cashmere. You should feel it - it's like touching clouds. I ran my hand along the rack of sweaters and pulled this out - always an impressive trick.

And if she doesn't like it?
Eh, I only paid $4.00. Yes, $4.00 for a 100% cashmere sweater.

I didn't have too much luck at the other 2 stores, but I'm very fussy about what I take home with me. After Caro headed off with her mom and her son, I had a wander through an antique store. Look what I found!
It's a gorgeous vintage 60s copper bracelet and earrings set.

Both pieces are stamped "Renoir":
Clip-on earrings - I better not lose one!
The set was $45.00. Pretty good!

I also treated myself to a brass mid-finger ring.
Now I have one hand gold and one hand silver. The ring is by Bauxo and was $33.00.

L and I had a couple of fun nights playing games.
L and Vizzini chillin' on the couch.

Vizzini is so cute, but mind his moustaches!

"I'll have you know I'm a proper gentleman cat."

He is always looking to snag a game piece.

"Or an elastic band."

We often find tokens on the floor with teeth marks on them. Little bugger.

But he always settles down for a snooze with one of us.

"Let me sleep."

I love how his little paws are over his face.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!