Friday, September 30, 2011

Red Roses Shawl Collar Boyfriend Cardigan









On Monday, I made a trip to the shop where, some years ago, I purchased the long grey linen dress that I wore yesterday.  I was hoping that the shop would have something similar to that dress but more appropriate for Winter.  Nothing really caught my eye, nothing, that is, except for a purple coat.  It was hot on Monday, so I wasn't in the mood for trying on a coat.  I also thought that the coat might be too big for me.  So I left the shop.  Unfortunately, as the week went on, I couldn't get the coat out of my mind and I started coveting it.  (You would have thought that, by now, I would have learned to try on everything that catches my eye the moment it catches my eye, to prevent it from lingering in my mind, and becoming something other than what it is.)  So, today, I went back to the shop to try the coat on.  Well, wouldn't you know it, the coat wasn't there anymore.  There was another purple coat there, but it didn't look like the one that I saw.  I started wondering whether I really saw the purple coat that I thought I saw.  Maybe what I saw on Monday was the purple coat that was there on Friday.  Maybe I didn't get a good look at it on Monday and thought it was something else.  In other words, maybe the coat that I started coveting during the week never really existed.  Whatever.  The bottom line is:  I don't have a new purple coat.

I am wearing an old Mexx shirt with an old Gap tie, a jumper dress from a local arts and crafts import shop and an old Preloved wool cardigan.  An old linen/wool blend scarf keeps my neck warm and an old Nine West cloche hat sits atop my head.  I am wearing old Fluevogs on my feet.  I am carrying an old Roots cotton canvas satchel.  

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Grey Skies Linen Dress







I feel the urge to go hat shopping at a proper hat shop.  It has been some time since I bought a new hat from a proper hat shop.  I passed by one today.  And, I thought that maybe I should visit it tomorrow.  My only concern is that the shop may not yet be stocked fully with its Fall/Winter hats.  The shop isn't in a neighbourhood that I frequent during the day.  At night, when the shop is closed, yes, but, during the day, when the shop is open, no.  So visiting the shop during the day would be a special trip.  If I go and the shop doesn't have enough Fall/Winter stock, it will be a wasted trip, a waste of time.  I am big on not wasting time these days.  But the prospect of getting a new hat ... from a proper hat shop ... is certainly alluring.  Have you ever had a hat made specifically for you?  The fit is astounding!

I am wearing an old Gap shirt with an old Gap tie, an old Cheyenne linen dress, an old Anthropologie jacket and an old JCrew scarf.  On my head is an old Nine West cloche hat.  On my feet are Fluevogs.  I am carrying an old Roots cotton canvas satchel.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Again With The Red Jumper Dress Dress







First of all, my apologies.  I was so happy with the brown and red pairing of yesterday that I couldn't help but try it again.  Okay, that said, here is something that happened to me today.  I went to Urban Outfitters.  You may know of its Urban Renewal line.  Sometimes it is straight thrift.  Sometimes it is thrift reworked.  Anyways, there I was in Urban Outfitters, working my way through the Urban Renewal rack.  Among the first things I saw was an oversized heavy weight cable knit sweater in olive green that had been cropped.  I paused when I reached it, but after a few moments of consideration, I discounted it and moved on.  Almost immediately, someone else's hands landed on the oversized heavy weight cable knit sweater in olive green, and almost immediately that that someone else showed interest in the sweater, I regretted passing it by and wanted it.  The someone else tried the sweater on.  I hovered nearby and prayed that she wouldn't like it and would put it back on the rack.  I had to wait several minutes, but, eventually, my prayers were answered.  (The sweater is now mine.)  Just as I started to tell this story, I recalled the last time that what happened today happened before.  It was exactly one year ago today, at The Clothing Show.  Now is that some coincidence or what?

I am wearing an old Gap shirt with an old cotton knit tie (originally from Urban Outfitters), a jumper dress from a local arts and crafts import shop and an old H&M sweater.  My boots are old Fluevogs.  I have a cotton knit beret on my head and I am carrying an old cotton canvas souvenir satchel.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Ode To Golf Cropped Trouser








Yesterday, I was shopping in one of my favourite import shops -- where I got all those bubble jumper dresses that I have been favouring of late.  I got a few things (including the cropped pants that I wore today).  As the clerk was wrapping up my purchases, she commented on all the lovely, non-black, Fall-coloured clothing that I had purchased.  She went on to say that she was trying to branch out from buying black clothes.  (A funny thing to say, I thought, as I was wearing head to toe black yesterday.  Or, perhaps, that is why she said it:  I was wearing all black but wasn't buying anything black.)  She went on to say that she had started to buy some grey clothes, as she adored grey.  Unfortunately, her partner also loved grey, which led to them appearing together both dressed in grey on many occasions, attracting such questions as whether they had planned to look alike.  I thought about this for a moment.  Then I remarked how strange it was that when two or more people in a group wear all black, no one thinks to ask them if they had planned it.  Why is that?

I am wearing an old H&M shirt with an old Gap tie, a cardigan from Lands End Canvas and cotton twill cropped balloon trousers from a local import shop.  An old silk/wool blend scarf is wrapped around my neck and an old cotton newsboy cap sits atop my head.  My ankle boots are old Fluevogs.  I am carrying an old Roots cotton canvas satchel.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Warm Oatmeal On A Chilly Morning Dress




A couple of days ago, I was visiting one of the virtual places that I occasionally visit when I was assaulted by images of Spring fashion circa 2012.  I hit the back button on my computer very, very fast.  Fall is my favourite season.  When I am just entering it, the last thing that I want is to spend any amount of Fall time thinking about any other season.  Certain virtual places might have to be declared off limits for the next couple of weeks while the fashion world traverses the various fashion weeks (showing Spring 2012 collections) occurring in the world.

Okay.  Enough about Spring.  Back to thoughts of warm, cosy things on chilly Fall mornings.  Like the last of my jumper dresses, the oatmeal coloured one, and the versatile grey sweater (which, by the way, I managed to hunt down in black today -- yay!) that I wore today.  If you look closely, you will notice that, today, I wore, not only a sweater, but also a jacket (and a scarf).  Yes, Fall has definitely arrived, so warm, cosy things are definitely called for.

I am wearing an old Gap shirt with an old Urban Outfitters tie and an old jumper dress.  My jacket is from Anthropologie and my versatile sweater is from Jacob.  An old JCrew scarf is wrapped around my neck and a cotton knit beret from American Apparel covers my head.  Fluevogs are on my feet and I am carrying an old souvenir bag.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Lacey Layers Skirt And Dotty Dots Blouse




There are a few notable firsts in a girl's life.  For a girl who loves Fluevogs, but doesn't yet know it, one of these notable firsts is her first pair of Fluevogs.  For a girl who loves Fluevogs and knows it, one of these notable firsts is her first pair of sample Fluevogs.  Behold, on my feet, my first pair of sample Fluevogs.  When I bought my first pair of Fluevogs -- sadly, I no longer have them, and, even more sadly, I can't remember which of two they were -- I never imagined that I would come to own a pair of sample Fluevogs.  But there they are!  (Thank you!)  So what's next for this Fluevog loving girl?  Well, I can think of at least two things that I would love to have happen.  Who knows?  Maybe, one day, those two things will happen.

I am wearing a blouse from H&M, an old Moulinette Soeurs skirt and a jacket from the Gap.  On my head is a cotton knit beret from American Apparel, and I am carrying an old souvenir bag.  And on my feet ... drum roll please ... my first pair of sample Fluevogs.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

An Old Cropped Sweater





Today, I went clothes shopping, something that I haven't done in a while.  I must say that I was rather proud of myself for not buying anything that I already have.  While browsing my usual shops, it occurred to me how entranced I can get by new versions of pieces that I already have.  I don't imagine that I am alone in this.  Today, every time that I was tempted to buy a new version of a piece that I already have, I critically examined the new piece, and, in my mind, the piece already in my closet, including how similar the two pieces were, and decided against purchasing the new piece.  I did come away with a few things:  a grey wool skirt (hitting at mid calf), a pair of cream wool scalloped edge shorts and several pairs of woolly tights (one can never have too many pairs of woolly tights when one lives in a place where the winters are cold and last at least six months).  I had a jolly old time!

I am wearing an old Gap sweater, old Fletcher by Lyell shorts and a Gap jacket.  On my feet are Fluevogs and on my head is a cotton knit beret from American Apparel.  I am carrying and old souvenir bag.

The Polished Red Apple Jumper Dress





I know I said that I wasn't going to wear another variation of the outfit that I wore all this week, at least not until next week, but I just couldn't help myself yesterday morning.  I think that I have become accustomed to being lazy where getting dressed is concerned.  At least I didn't wear the same grey jacket and the favourite grey gingham scarf!  On another note, I was in my dining room yesterday morning and my eye landed on a vintage LU biscuits ad poster.  You might know it:  The one that shows a child dressed in a cape, beret and boots, carrying a basket and munching on a biscuit.  The moment I saw it I thought, "Is that what has been inspiring my clothing choices of late?"

I am wearing an old Gap shirt with an old Gap tie, a jumper dress from a local international arts and crafts shop and the versatile sweater from Jacob.  Fluevogs are on my feet, a cotton knit beret is on my head and I am carrying an old souvenir bag.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Favourite Grey Gingham Scarf: Take Three




First, there was the outfit in brown.  Next, came the outfit in black.  Now, here it is in green.  And it isn't over yet.  There are two more variations to go.  But, as the temperature is supposed to rise over the next couple of days, I will delay wearing them until the return of more Fall-like temperatures.

I am wearing an old H&M shirt with an old Gap tie, an old jumper dress and a jacket from Anthropologie.  Wrapped around my neck is an old JCrew scarf and atop my head is a cotton knit beret from American Apparel.  Fluevogs are on my feet and I am carrying an old souvenir bag.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Favourite Grey Gingham Scarf: Take Two







I figured that if it worked in brown, it should also work in black.  It just seemed like the right thing to do on Tuesday morning (and, I am not too proud to admit, this morning): put on a replica of Monday's outfit in a different "colour".  As I wrote last week, I am fresh out of planned outfits, and a sudden "cold snap" has blown into town (it was only eleven degrees celsius on Tuesday morning and fourteen degrees celsius this morning) making getting dressed a bit of a creative challenge after weeks of easy Summer dressing (dress, shoes and go).  So if an easy out (like wearing the same thing every day) shows up, can you blame me for taking it?

I am wearing an old H&M shirt with an old Gap tie, an old jumper dress and a jacket from Anthropologie.  Wrapped around my neck is an old JCrew scarf and atop my head is a cotton knit beret from American Apparel.  Fluevogs are on my feet and I am carrying an old souvenir bag.