What would you do? The most amazing vintage glasses in the world

I have to have these retro early 1980s faceted sunglasses.

They are currently on hold at my spec shop, which I am going to do a post on soon.

According to the glasses Gods they just don't make the faceted type of specs any more, so these, at $300, are def a collector's item.

You know my penchant for big 1970s/80s sunglasses.

Let's go in for a closer look.

They do look good on me.

Do I need them? Do I think my life will change in some dramatic way if I get them? Perhaps.

Since hearing this verse in a Toronto bar, I'm tempted to make this my mantra: "Single girls, single girls, go to the shop and buys, go to the shop and buys ....".

Can any single gal out there relate? Is shopping just a way to deal with our single-dom? When we shack up do we immediately put the bank card aside and start having babies?

Deep thoughts for a rainy Monday morning.

Tell me what you think of the glasses, please. They're already mine in my mind.

In the meantime here's a funny shot of my pal and fellow reporter, Chris, who donned one of my fave pair of 1970s sunglasses the other day.

I think he's trying to look like that commercial he likes so well, about "The Most Interesting Man in ... the World!!".

They do look kinda cute on him.

If you feel like playing a fun game today, check out my recent post on my retro shade collection and tell me which ones you like in order of preference - include these ones too even though they are not yet mine! Vote on Kelly's retro oversize sunglasses collection

Have a happy Monday!!

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Skeleton chairs & ribbon dispensers

This chair was in my local thrift shop, Stretch Thrift, before I left for West Palm, and when I returned to do a little dig after my vacay it was still there.

Whoever goes for this would need to have some guts, as this chair is obviously all guts.

So wish I were handy enough to reupholster and fix up this baby. It's got good bones and a good shape. A wingback chair would be so cozy wozy in the winter months ....

I decided to leave it there for the next person. Betcha it's still there.


Next to the chair there was the ribbon dispenser contraption, which must have belonged to a store, or perhaps the craftiest person on the planet.

I couldn't find the price but I thought it was kind of neat.

There were bins of ribbon spools nearby too.

Isn't it amazing the things you find in thrift shops?

I think a person could spin a novel from all the items found in one ....

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Toronto designers using vintage

As you can see by the Palm Tree-like plant behind me, my glorious trip to West Palm Beach is still lingering in my consciousness, though my fake tan is fading like a Florida sunset.

In keeping with the beachy theme today I donned a top made by Toronto designer/Queen St. West retailer Preloved, which has recently opened a pop-up shop on the Danforth around Greektown.

Preloved fashions tops, dresses and other funky ladies' garb from reclaimed vintage fabrics - sweaters, tees, and even sleeping bags by the looks of a dress I saw there the other day!

This tee has that 1990s look to it, but the asymmetrical neckline and tight fit make it more contemporary. You can't see but the black is all black. I love the purple fishies.

The three-strand chain necklace, meanwhile, is by Toronto costume bling designer Gay Isber. The chunky chains are from the 1970s, 80s and 90s respectively.

Rock n'roll meets beachy chic a la vintage re-do: gotta love it.

P.S. Forgot to say huge cocktail ring is vintage too - $6.99 at Goodwill!!

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Launch party of 1212 decor in Toronto

Does this look like a bed fit for a queen, perhaps a Grunge Queen?

Hey, that looks like a crown on the bed to me.

I could have slumbered and dreamed all night long after the official launch party last night of 1212, a swank new design shop at 1212 Yonge St. in Toronto.

Many of the colours, as you see here, match the beachy hues I was talking about yesterday.






















Check out this occasional chair by Avant Garde - it's covered with this nubbly terry cloth material.

Loving the pink rattan table beside it.

These are not Grunge Queen prices by any means, but I'm too excited by the colours and styles to worry about that.

Let's just call this post a Grunge Queen inspiration post.



















As Creative Director Alexander Donovan explained to me, 1212 carries a melange of styles and decor pieces and embodies the ethic that decorating should be fun, not a thing to be afraid of.

Well I'd say that jives with the 'ole Grunge Queen philosophy pretty well.



















The full-service design shop carries the most comprehensive selection of works by the designer, artist and illustrator Larry Laslo of Larry Laslo Designs.

Mr. Laslo was on hand last night and gave me a personal tour of some of the shop and showed me some of his furniture pieces, which he describes as structural.


















Laslo's colour palette isn't like the beachy one I'm showcasing here, but his pieces are lovely.

This French Deco sofa ($6240.00), which I hope isn't too dark in this pic, is one of his creations.

Interestingly he told me that for some reason, a couch is the hardest thing in the world to design. I would have thought the opposite: shows how much I know!






















Still, you can tell the man has some pluck, evidenced by the jaunty pinstripe suit he wore for the occasion.

He's posing for me here under a work of art he created - he started off as a painter, he told me.

The piece is called "Take a Spin" and it's covered with 10-15 coats of resin to give the surface a super gloss look.

Love it. Want it. Won't even bother to look at the price.























The only thing that I could afford, and that would be in a pinch, is one of these gorgeous mixed ribbon pillows, $435 each.























Worth a pop in for a gander.

1212 Yonge St.
416-646-1234
toll free 1-877-999-1235

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Beachy West Palm vs. Grunge Queen digs

I'm back from the most glorious trip in West Palm Beach and I have colour culture shock.

As you can see from my grungy-glam pad in this pic, and from past posts if you read often, I have a thing for jewel tones, lush velvet fabric and Persian rugs.

Now I have fully internalized the West Palm aesthetic, and I'm a bit thrown off by the lush hues in my digs.

My best friend's home fully expresses the colours that you'll find all over West Palm, from the Art Deco buildings to the fashions in the shops: soft yellows and blues, turquoise, pastel pinks and seafoam greens.

This cream, blue and yellow fabric-covered wood chair is a so beautiful and has a grungy sort of existence to it. It used to belong to my pal's folks but she inherited it and recovered it. It used to have old dark leather over top but now it looks beachy elegant.

I have a feeling if I lived in West Palm my decor ethic would flip on its head.

Here's another look at the chair with the built-ins my pal's hubby built and installed.

I have shelf envy.

I wonder how much this cost? We were too busy drinking beer for me to even think of asking.

But I love the clean, crisp look.

And the white wooden blinds versus my flowy blue sheers - so different, so clean ... they just make you cool looking at them.



I really liked the icy blue in this room, the dining room.

This work of art is by my twin sis, Kendra Gadzala, and it's called The Inkeeper.

It's inspired by her travels around the world with her hubby. Though it isn't exactly beachy, it works in this room.

My best pal obviously has a decor knack too.

I admire her restraint. She's managed to make her home look homey yet clean and uncluttered.


But I'd say we have some commonalities - the old chair thing, for one, and a love of yellowish-orangy roses.

Her hubby-to-be bought her these a few days before their wedding, and they just pop against the blue walls.

I'm really kinda rambling aren't I? I'm trying my best to make this post Grunge Queen-y in content, but I'm straying all over the place because, really, I just want to tell you about my trip to my best friend's wedding in West Palm.


The West Palm ethic - the colours, the hint of sea-scent to my clothing, everything - is still clinging to me and I'm going to hang onto it. And I don't want to let go, not yet.

So you may be getting some beachy posts not necessarily related to regular Grunge Queen programming.

The lower painting here is also by my sis, inspired by her trip to eastern Canada (P.E.I.). But the hues suit Florida through and through.

Wish I could show you more, particularly the bedroom I stayed in one night, but I forgot to snap a pic of that.

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Pucci-esque silk dress thrifted, to go with tan

Ok, so my face is way darker than my legs, but keep in mind when I shower tomorrow it will look more natural and even.

I'm off to Florida tomorrow so may not be posting for six days or so, but I had to show you the gorgeous pink-ish, coral-ish dress I bought at Value Village on the way home tonight.

It's silk and fits me like a glove - and looks great with a tan! It's by Sandra Angeloizzi, not a cheap brand.

The VV price: $19.99.

Too warm for Florida with the long sleeves and all, but it'll be waiting in my closet upon my return.

Have a great week, everyone!

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White foot, thrifted shoe

Take a good long peep at this creamy white foot if you can bear it, 'cos tomorrow at this time it'll be as brown as a berry!

In anticipation of a trip to a warmer clime with a beach and a wedding, I'm getting a fake, hand-sprayed air-brush tan tomorrow!

I've done it before and let's just leave it at this: goddess.

In anticipation of my semi-tropical trip, I picked up these leather Franco Sarto for $7.99 at my local thrift hang out in Toronto, Stretch Thrift.

They look great with my skinny jeans, as you see here (thanks to pal Chris for snapping this shot), and they rock with sundresses - and when the top of the straps and buckle show the look is tres ooh-la-la semi-naughty.

Maybe tomorrow you'll see my brown feet with another pair of thrifted sandals.

I never find it gross, btw, to wear second-hand shoes - provided they're in good shape, not smelly, and not uber worn. These were in such good shape the bottoms were hardly scraped!

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