I'm off today and tomorrow and poor L is back at work - it's kind of nice to have the day to myself, so I got up early and went to town to check out Smoking Lily's Boxing Week sale and to spend my She She Shoes gift certificate. Yee haw!
Today's outfit was almost a duplicate of this one (the evening version) except with different outerwear.
It was so warm out!
I actually last wore this skirt and boots together on the weekend here (2nd outfit), and the grey sweater here with a skirtload of sequins.
Just added my simple leather cuffs and white gold hoops and you've got an easy outfit for trying stuff on.
Both the teeny-weeny Smoking Lily store (4' x 11' - seriously, it's small) and the Milkman's Daughter (slightly bigger) were packed with people scrabbling for 30-50% off pieces.
I knew I'd be wanting to try a few things on, so I wore an outfit that would work for that - I was surprised at how many people hadn't planned for that! They stood in line for the 1-2 changerooms and I just changed in the street or the middle of the store! You have to plan for these things!
I wore this awesome long coat as my outerwear:
I last wore it here over my green swirly dress.
I love how turquoise and purple go together.
Ready to shop!
Coat (Vassalli, consignment), sweater (August Silk, consignment), skirt (Smoking Lily, consignment), boots (Prepare Volunteers, Fluevog), gloves (Accessorize), scarf (Marks & Spencer, thrifted).
I had some good luck at the little Smoking Lily store - $25.00 for silk obis! Wee! I got this lovely olive, grey, beige print and black one. About time I had one with more of a neutral base.
I think this makes 6 of these. I have a bit of an obsession.
At the Milkman's Daughter, I spotted this gorgeous metallic moto jacket on the 30% off rack for $91.00.
It's a stretchy denim - isn't it amazing? It can be worn fully zipped, as above, with the snap done up, and the sleeves snapped.
Or....
With the cuffs turned up and the front turned into lapels! So cool!
I got another Hama Hama top (I have this great crow one from the March capsule):
It's a rich olive colour - totally did not photograph well.
It has a moose:
It was $44.00.
I also got some underlovelies:
On half price for $10 a pair.
And a couple of little leather pouches. At least one of them is going to a blog-friend...
They were $9.00 each.
The skeleton thing is a new business card holder for me - it's by Bonspiel (I have a jacket by her). My old card holder is too small for my new cards. Oh yeah, I got new cards!
I've made my own business cards via Publisher on the computer for a few years. I decided to treat myself to professionally-made ones (these are by moo.com, and I'm linking because the quality is nice and they use recycled paper, no compensation received) when I ordered L cards for his blog as a Christmas present.
After going to Smoking Lily, I strolled over to She She Shoes. They had a big sale on! I spent some time wandering around the store, despairing as every shoe I liked seemed to be made in China. They were all lovely, and gorgeously made...but I didn't want to break my resolve so quickly.
But yes, I bought a pair. These gorgeous lavender lace-up boots:
I had to look at this as L buying me this gift - he hasn't taken the pledge to shop second-hand or ethically. That's my thing, and I don't want to impose that on others or make them feel guilty for not doing what I do - I hate that kind of high-and-mighty attitude.
So I sucked it up and graciously allowed him to buy me these wonderful, gorgeous, amazing boots with the gift certificate.
No zippers! You have to lace that thick cotton velvet ribbon.
Metallic leather behind the holes.
A slight platform.
A rock and roll heel:
They are by Feud London.
A lovely ruffle of leather for a tongue.
And a crown button:
What would you have done? Is it too much rationalizing? Am I going to be struck by lightning?
They were on sale for $60.00, so I still had $90.00 left on my gift certificate to spend. Fortunately, She She does carry some wonderful jewelry and accessories that are ethically or locally made. Hurrah!
Check out these amazing tights by Look From London:
They're made in the US.
I also got some tights by Voila (made in Italy), and some knee highs by Sox Trot (also made in the US).
Hurray for fun legs!
This gorgeous silk flower necklace was only $23.00.
It's by Harriet Grey, and was made in Vancouver. I am totally grooving on flowers lately.
I popped into Lotus, a shop in the mall downtown that only carries locally-made or ethically-sourced items.
The little blue studs were $8.00 and the felt flower was $5.00.
More flowers!
I hope your week is bringing you some sunny days!