Gotta Keep 'em Seperated

I'm pretty sure this thrift store find started out its life as a mother-of-the-bride ensemble... I hope the lady who wore it first enjoyed it thoroughly and danced her butt off to the YMCA. I shall attempt to do it justice, though I always screw up and do the C backwards on the dancefloor...

Honestly, when I first saw this two-piece at the thrift store, I skipped over it because it's not my usual thing... It's good quality and made in Canada but it's not something extraordinary and it is a few sizes too big. But that fringe drew me back and before I knew it, it had made its way into my cart. I'm having a fringe moment darhhhling...

Pants? Joe Fresh Shoes? Guess, thrifted (great pair here) Necklace? Vintage

What brought this thrift find away from being too mother-of-the-bride was separating the two pieces. Because matchy-matchy is ok... but usually it's really not. 

I know black skinny jeans are the lazy option to put with this top, it's just that when it works, it works. In this case, they are the perfect backdrop to show off that fringe. I scrunched the sleeves of the shirt up because it's an easy way to make a too big top look more proportionate. I'll probably throw a new hem in there someday to shorten the sleeves officially but no one should hold their breath for that business.

After I took these pictures, I immediately wore this all day. I love how the fringe looked streaming out underneath my leather bomber. 

Sweater? Zara, very similar here Boots? Max Mara (hand-me down/gift)

I mostly bought the outfit because I knew I would get a lot of wear out of the shirt. But once I tried the skirt on and saw how cool the hem was, I knew the skirt would also get day passes out of my closet. Not a giant fan of an elasticized waist but I can handle it in this case...

I've mentioned it many times but when I first really got into thrifting again (I've always thrifted, I just increased my commitment to the relationship when I started the blog), I saw potential in everything on the racks. I think that is a good way to start thrifting perhaps; to open your mind and to imagine how something could look with a belt, a hem, a tweak or a good pair of high heels. But I have a lot (a lot) of clothes now, so I need to be much pickier about what I take home for myself. I am glad however, that this little pair came home with me. My closet needed that fringe...

Snow Shine

Skirt? Milli in Hamilton, super clearance (another sweet sequin maxi here) Sweater? Thrifted 

Boots? Canadian Tire

This is what I wore for New Years when we were still up north. I figured I would start the new year with people I love, in a skirt I love. To be honest, the skirt never quite made it to midnight because after these pictures were taken, I was on dinner duty and with sweet potato poutine on the menu, I didn't want to have a gravy accident. 

Post dinner I dutifully put on my party skirt again, only to change into my snow pants to go tobogganing. And after that exertion, I was done/stick a fork in me, so the fact that I (barely) stayed awake to midnight was the accomplishment. I'm not even upset about this skirt getting trumped by snow pants either... I've worn this skirt more than I ever would have thought when I bought it; first to my brother's wedding, then to a holiday party and now that I've worn it in the Canadian wilderness (ok, the Canadian wilderness gets far more wilderness-y than what we experienced...), the next logical step is wearing it to get my oil changed. Nah... scratch that, I actually just got that done. The next logical step is clearly wearing it to the dentist, I'm overdue for a visit, I think I have a cavity and I'm a little scared... Sequins may just take the edge off.

Support

Skirt? Thrifted (similar on Etsy  here or here) Jacket? Zara, thrifted 

Fluffy vest? Vintage re-make from Modify Your Closet Clutch? Thrifted Earrings? Vintage, Once Again Antiques

Matt came to help me with something at the shop this weekend and I left him to shop-sit so I could do some shopping and get a last minute birthday gift. And while I was birthday gift shopping at an antique shop on the street, I saw these big ol' sparkly earrings* and I ended up sneaking them in with my other purchases. I figure if I make purchases on the street that I have a shop on, it's not really shopping, it's supporting.

The vintage digging I do at Revolving Closet is relationship building, not buying more dresses than my closet can contain. The candles I buy from my neighbour are a business expense, not an attempt to make my house smell like I've been baking cinnamon buns while, in fact, I was probably passed out on the couch. And the copious amount of fajitas from the two Mexican restaurants on Ottawa St. that I survived off of when we were setting up shop? I don't have to explain that because that was just ridiculous...
...ly awesome.


*There was one more pair similar to these at Once Again. They are blue and white, $35, for pierced ears and quite comfortable. Just thought I would share that, in case you were the kinda person who enjoys a little sparkle;) 

Due North

Coat? Vintage Holt Renfrew Hat? F21 (old) Sweater? Zara (similar here) Plaid shirt? Joe Fresh 

Necklace? Thrifted Boots? c/o La Canadienne

Happy 2014!!!!
Last year we went up north for a few days around NYE as a last minute kind of thing... This year, with a bunch of our friends, we figured we had so much fun last time that we actually planned in advance and booked a place at least three weeks beforehand.
It's so pretty and serene in Northern Ontario... We got to enjoy the natural beauty and just relax. By relax, I mean we hung out and watched Discovery Channel and Criminal Minds for hours... And ate a lot of food. Bliss.
I feel like I had my 'up north' training wheels on last year, I had to borrow layers and clothes because the cold and the snow is a different beast from what we deal with here in Hamilton*. This year it was even snowier and colder than last year but I was so prepared that I wanted to high five myself. I brought a lot of plaid (obviously because it is so rugged and stuff), all my toques, my newly thrifted snow pants and thermal sweater and the snow boots that Matt searched a few Canadian Tires for. With my own legitimate snow pants and snow boots, I could frolic in the snow and when I fell on my tailbone down an icy hill, the layers cushioned the fall.
When I wasn't snow frolicking or watching tv marathons, I even managed to be warm and kinda fancy for a trip into town thanks to this vintage coat. The coat was supposed to go in the shop but it had a mark on the suede that I couldn't get out. That little bit of damage was just enough to ease my conscience about keeping the coat for myself...


*except right now because we are in a major cold snap... I'm wearing a sleeping bag to work for now.