Creamscicle outfit, vintage chain

I love this outfit, most of which was thrifted or free (except for the purse, bought on sale).

I feel like a long cool Creamsicle. And I love the way my pal Chris has positioned me here in front of the icy steel facade.

I found these white wide-legged pants by Club Monaco at Goodwill for $6.99, if memory serves. They go so well with the luscious lime green top by Toronto designer Franco Mirabelli, which I got in a press kit. I wuv it.

The silver bracelet was $5, second-hand, and the retro 1960s shades you've seen before they were picked up for a fiver at the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Sale earlier this spring.

I hope you can see the necklace, but it's one of my fave 'new' vintage ones and I think it suits the 1960s vibe of the outfit.

It was $6.99 at Goodwill.

It's comprised of interchanging rectangular plastic (Lucite perhaps?) and filigre boxes. Isn't it just so cool?

Just have to show you the ensemble with the shades.

The perfect to start the long weekend here in Toronto!

Wherever you are, have a good one, and happy thrifting!!

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Ring stamped DG for $5

I foud and this ring for $5 when buying some vintage bling from a local who collects the stuff.

I loved its simplicity and shape. It's stamped DG with a copyright symbol inside.

Can't be Dolce and Gabbana!!

Have any jewellery junkies out there seen the DG stamp on retro bling?

Would love more info on it.

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Mrs Robinson outfit, 100 percent thrift

I wore my "Mrs. Robinson" outfit yesterday as I felt a bit minxy and thought of the sultry Anne Bancroft in the fab flic, The Graduate.

Not that I'm an older woman seducing a younger man!

The wrap dress that I recently thrifted at Goodwill for $6.99 made me think of Mrs. Robinson. It's made by another fave local designer, Mark Foreman of the Bionic Woman label. Foreman always uses the coolest fabrics and patterns, and this one seemed kinda 60s go-go in tone.


The gold disco belt was $14.99 at a west end vintage shop; the white slingback heels were $4.99 at my local thrift shop.

The retro necklace was $9.99 at Goodwill.

Total for outfit not including taxes: $36.96.

Price does not include retro faceted sunglasses!

Thanks to pal Chris for snapping the shot.

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Vintage "Miracle" Tudor rose a la Goodwill

England is on the brain perpetually these days. I'm going on a trip there in 5 weeks exactly, and I really can't bloody wait.

While doing a thrift dig in Goodwill the other day, this lovely pendant behind glass attracted me. It was priced $9.99, a bit high for the Grunge Queen, but I bought it anyway as I loved it.

Got it home, pulled out the magnifying glass and saw there was a "Miracle" stamp on it. Miracle Jewellery, as it turns out, is a Birmingham, England-based company that's been making mostly costume bling since 1946.

The company is well known for its jeweled Celtic and Irish jewellery but also has been known to make non-jeweled pieces like this Tudor rose. I did a quick Ebay search and found only one listing of this supposedly "rare" pendant. Not sure if it's rare or if it was made in the 1940s as the Ebay seller suggested (I'd say 1960s maybe), but there you go.

I'll wear this, happily, as I move towards my trip.

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Retro maxi dress by the pound

I thought my local confectionary was the perfect place to snap a shot of this retro polyester maxi dress (1960s? 70s?) I bought by the pound for $7.50, at a place called 69 Vintage Buy the Pound in Toronto.

Why?

Because the crazy colours he dress in tmatch all the crazy hyper hues that can be found in the shop! Plus I had no one else to snap a pic....

I love this dress. I brought it to West Palm Beach in June because it's so tropical, and wore it on a very special night ....

See? I match the slushy colours!!

This dress is technically a "Junior" dress -- which perhaps explains why it's uber fitted.

I think the little ruffle around the neck is darling.

Best part? Don't need to iron it. The polyester is so thick it hardly crinkles!

69vintage.com
has two stores in Toronto; one is the Buy the Pound place at 1207 Bloor St. W and the other is on Queen St. W. Check out their cool blog 69vintage.blogspot.com

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Value Village steals

The Value Village Pricing Gods tend to amaze me sometimes.

Take this vintage tiger's eye pin, dug up in the jewellery baggie section for $1.99.

Now I'm not sure if it's real tiger's eye- but just look at the design! It's clearly a superior piece of bling in my humble opinion.

Meanwhile in the jewellery case: lots of cheap sterling and such.

How about this Betsey Johnson
dress/negligee I found for $7.99?

Kinda a crazy price for a designer piece that would sell for $100 eh?

Meanwhile cheapie mass market dresses are the same price and more.

Now I know value is subjective, but let me indulge in this thought: Either VV doesn't know value, or they're so well acquainted with the needs of their market that they know a BJ dress just wouldn't be as desirable as an Old Navy frock ...??? Just not sure I buy that.

'Cos I literally bought the other stuff and turned my nose up at the stuff I didn't consider that valuable!!

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Canadian designer dress, thrifted

I"ve had this dress for months and have never worn it aside from posing in it on my balcony here (thanks to the lovely sweet photographer who graciously snapped me in my entire wardrobe, practically).

It was thrifted at Goodwill for $6.99. It's a made in Canada dress designed by Canadian designer Linda Lundstrom.

(The Lundstrom label still exists though from what I understand Lundstrom is no longer with the company).

The dress fits me like a glove and I love it; the detailing is just so spot on. The tiered lacy bottom; the fitted bodice; the lace shoulders; and those darling and saucy pockets over the boobs!

Take a look at the back.

Isn't that just the sweetest?

When thrifting for dresses and clothing, I always look for colour (does it look amazing on me, like this deep blue colour?); does it fit me equally well?; what is the fabric and detailing like?; and what's the label? Crappy fast fashion or designer?

All the boxes were ticked on this one, including the price. Now just waiting for the right occasion to wear it!

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Hot hot hot

Forgive me, this isn't very Grunge Queen-y other than to say my dear little kitty is approaching her vintage years....

It's been brutally hot and humid in Toronto for the last few weeks. I don't have AC and my fan is buried in the depths of my storage unit (under piles of chairs from the trash) and I am scared to get it.

I feel exactly like Dinky poo looks like here: wiped. Wish I could lay on my back with my legs open like that all day, the sweetie!

Promise to dig out fan this wkend. Hope you're all surviving the heat or that it's cooler where you are!

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Vintage dress I haven't worn for 20 years

I bought this 1950s dress when I was a teen; yes I was a vintage hound even then!

It's super cute but I haven't worn it since I was about 20. I never thought it looked that good on me, especially the full skirt with the pleats.

It still doesn't look uber wonderful, though in theory it's a stunner.

It's got a cinched in waist (and you wouldn't believe how small my waist was 20 years ago - I have the belt hole to prove it!), and these darling white buttons with sparkling clear glass in their centres.

The dress is built for the voluptuous figures of the 1950s, so it goes without saying that I could fill out the top part more.

The part I really love: the mesh cut-out back shaped like half a star.

Isn't it just fab??

Don't think the dress looks good enough on me to be my fave, so let's just call this a dress 'appreciation' post as opposed to a 'I love it' dress post.

Maybe I'll wear it again in a few years ....

Do you have any vintage findings you've hung onto for years and never really wear or use?

I still have two vintage little-black-dresses, all wool, that I wore when I was 19... they were super fitted then and they still fit!

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R & R in my apartment

It's been super busy the past month, and I've done zip in my pad in terms of decorating. The really hot and humid weather hasn't been much of an inspiration either.

So here's the view from my couch, a place I'm going to try to spend some time this week as I attempt to relax and take care of myself after a busy whirlwind month.

I've never really sat on my couch long enough to ponder this view.

The mirror on the far wall reflects the light from the opposite window, thereby lighting up a dark space. My beloved green velvet Kroehler loveseat: dug up for $50 at a garage sale a few years ago.

Like my cat, I'm also going to try to spend more time sleeping in my bed, a lovely brass frame I picked up at a junk store in Ottawa a decade ago for $150.

The brass lamps on the bedside tables were $5 at a mega sale at my fave Toronto lighting store, Consumers Lighting on Dufferin St.

The painting above the bed is by local artist Julie Glick.

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Second-hand jewellery I don't have definitive plans for

Sometimes I buy second-hand items that I think are beautiful but that don't necessarily suit me or fit into my life in an overtly apparent way.

Like this brooch I bought from a lady who sells second-hand bling.

It was only $5 and it's a signed enamel piece, obviously handmade. So beautiful. I can maybe see it on a coat in the fall, but for now it's tucked away until the right moment - or the right person - calls for it.

Ditto for this belt buckle with tiger's eye balls embedded in it.

As with the brooch it was only about $5, so I picked it up.

I could turn it into a huge pendant, or string a pretty satin sash through it, as the lady who sold it to me suggested, and wear it with a pretty dress.

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PsychicThrift

It's still hotter than Hades in Toronto but some rain this morning should cool things down quickly.

There's just something about wearing white on a really hot and humid day; you just feel cooler!

I thrifted this dress at Stretch Thrift for $5.99. I thought it looked familiar when I bought it.

Then I realized my twin sis bought the same dress, same size, same price, at the same store a few weeks back!

That's what I call psychic thrift.

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Cheapie deapie summer wear

What do you get when you combine fast fashion with thrift?

One uber inexpensive outfit.

It's so hot and humid here in TO I've decided to dedicate this week to dress week.

I live in dresses in the summer, particularly thriffted ones.

This one was just a cheapie Suzy Shier dress for under $10.

I'm wearing it here with a sun hat I got at the dollar store for $3.99. I buy 'em every year and always get compliments on them as the wide brim is so elegant.

Easy peasy cheapie deapie!

Stay cool!

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Designer dress for $7.49.

My lovely vacay is over so we are back to regular Grunge Queen programming - sorry for the spotty posts of late!

I have a definite thing for the lovely clothing made by local Toronto designer Franco Mirabelli. Unfortunately I can't afford to buy it new, being grungy and all.

The great thing: the designer's styles are so classic, and the fabric (all very fine and bought in Italy) of such great quality that if you find his pieces used, they look brand new. It's also made right here in Toronto, Canada - an increasingly rare thing in the designer apparel world as many who are as large-scale as Mirabelli have gone off-shore.

Take this lovely grey dress by Franco Mirabelli that I found at the Goodwill on St. Clair West in Toronto.

It was $14.99 less 50 percent (50 percent off days are frequent), which brings the total to a whopping $7.49!

Yippee, I finally have a Franco Mirabelli dress! I will have to email Franco and let him know how much I love it!

I'm wearing it here with a thrifted sequined purse by Danier Leather ($3.99 or so if memory serves), and some new-new sexy sandals I bought on clearance last week for $29. So the entire outfit minus the jewellery = $40.48.

Grunge Queen success!

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Crazy 1970s pants in Niagara Falls

I'm still on holidays so in the spirit of touring and relaxing I'm showing you my newly purchased 1970s pants - aren't they crazy?

They were $29 at Tribal Rhythm in Toronto (see post below for contact info and totally fab 1970s scarf dress I bought at the same shop), a vintage clothing shop that has a great selection and good prices.

Many may have looked at these pants and run (especially the fabric, which is a mix of nylon and polyester I think), but I just knew they would work out - especially when paired with some green wedgie sandals (also thrifted) and a white halter I've had for years.


The necklace w as new, only $10 bought in an airport on the way home from West Palm Beach a few weeks ago (gee, sound like a real jetsetter don't I?), while the silver cuff bracelet was only $5, bought second-hand from a lady who sells used bling in the city. The blue bag by SR Squared (Sondra Roberts) is new but a deal-io, bought for a fraction of the retail price at a sample sale last month.

Here's me wearing the thrifty-chic ensemble in front of the Canadian falls - just love this shot.

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Vintage 1970s scarf dress in Niagara Falls

Sorry for lack of postings the last day - I've been on holidays (again!) and Blackberry-less, laptop-less, Twitter-less, Facebook-less, you name it - and it's been glorious!

But I will make up for it with some great vintage findings in a different setting ... Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada, the Las Vegas of Canada!

I found this 1970s scarf dress for $45 at a Toronto vintage shop a pal introduced me to the other day, Tribal Rhythm at 24B Queen St. W (416-595-5817). They have a great selection of 1970s and '80s fashions along with new costume jewellery and accessories.

The colours may not be perfect on me, though they'll go with my fake tan I've kept since West Palm.

And the fit was so fab and flattering I fell in love with it and just couldn't leave it on the rack.

I love the fitted bodice (fits my tiny chest, a refreshing change), the low dancer's back, the spaghetti straps, the pattern, and of course the hemline.

The perfect frock to go out on the town.

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Bedside nook a la cheap

Ok, it's a wee bit off kilter but hey, it's Canada Day and I'm relaxing ....

So in keeping with the relaxing theme here's my bedside table ensemble, comprised of thrift shop and major dealio finds.

The brass lamp made in Egypt, a mere $5 at my fave lighting store in TO, Consumer's Lighting on Dufferin St. The shade was also a fiver there.

The cornucopia vase, I think, was $2.99 at Value Village. The silver dish, into which I've scattered lavender (pinch the lavender in your fingers to activate the scent and help you relax at night), was under $10 at a thrift shop, Goodwill if memory serves. And the glass clock was also a thrift shop find at around $5.

Most of the pillboxes were gifts.

The table itself used to be part of a vanity (that an ex dragged from the trash) until and ex beau sawed it in half and created two night tables out of it.

The lavender hue on the table: my rather sorry attempt to jazz it up with paint. I've been too lazy to try to make it look better so the table is as is for now.

The bib necklace hanging from the knob: another pathetic attempt to be handy, this time at the Yorkville, Toronto opening of the Anthropologie store where crafty types made necklaces from vintage findings .... mine took several hours and several wine punches, ha ha.

HAPPY CANADA DAY for those of you enjoying the festivities today!!

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